Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

सन्ध्यामाचम्य यत्नेन जपं कृत्वाथ भारत । तर्पयित्वा पित्ःन्देवान्मनुष्यान् भरतर्षभ

Transliteration

sandhyāmācamya yatnena japaṃ kṛtvātha bhārata | tarpayitvā pitḥndevānmanuṣyān bharatarṣabha

Translation

O Bhārata, nachdem man das Dämmerungsritual (Sandhyā) vollzogen und sorgfältig Ācamana zur Reinigung getan hat, und nachdem man Japa vollendet hat, soll man Tarpana darbringen — den Pitṛs, den Devas und auch den Menschen, o Stier unter den Bhāratas.

Word by Word

• सन्ध्याम्: the twilight-prayer (sandhyā)
• सन्ध्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन

• आचम्य: having performed ācamana
• आचम्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); आचमनं कृत्वा (having sipped water ritually)

• यत्नेन: with effort/carefully
• यत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd); एकवचन

• जपम्: recitation (japa)
• जपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमणार्थक-निपात (then/thereupon)

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative); एकवचन

• तर्पयित्वा: having satisfied (offered libations to)
• तर्पयित्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त-क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (causative gerund: तर्पयित्वा = तर्पयित् + त्वा); ‘सन्तर्प्य’

• पितॄन्: the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); बहुवचन

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); बहुवचन

• मनुष्यान्: human beings
• मनुष्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); बहुवचन

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• भरतर्षभ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative); एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aṅkūreśvara-tīrtha (within Revā devakṣetra)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata / Bharatārṣabha (addressed as the listener)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At dusk/dawn on the riverbank, a pilgrim sits facing the water, performs ācamana, counts japa on a mālā, then pours water with sesame/flowers for tarpana; nearby, a small group receives food/water as ‘manuṣya-tarpaṇa’.

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata
• Bharatarṣabha
• Pitṛs
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha-visit is completed through disciplined daily dharma: sandhyā, japa, and gratitude-offerings to ancestors, gods, and society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The rites are prescribed in the context of Aṅkūreśvara-tīrtha in Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sandhyā worship, ācamana, mantra-japa, and tarpana to Pitṛs, Devas, and humans.