Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

त्रिगुणं चोपवासेन स्नानेन च चतुर्गुणम् । संन्यासं कुरुते यस्तु प्राणत्यागं करोति वा

Transliteration

triguṇaṃ copavāsena snānena ca caturguṇam | saṃnyāsaṃ kurute yastu prāṇatyāgaṃ karoti vā

Translation

Durch Fasten wird die Frucht dreifach, durch das Bad vierfach. Und wer dort Entsagung auf sich nimmt, oder gar das Leben hingibt (dort),

Word by Word

• त्रिगुणम्: threefold
• त्रिगुणम्: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); द्विगु (त्रयः गुणाः यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उपवासेन: by fasting
• उपवासेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Singular)

• स्नानेन: by bathing
• स्नानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चतुर्गुणम्: fourfold
• चतुर्गुणम्: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); द्विगु (चत्वारः गुणाः यस्य)

• संन्यासम्: renunciation
• संन्यासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संन्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• कुरुते: undertakes, does
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (Present, 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• प्राणत्यागम्: giving up of life-breath
• प्राणत्यागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण + त्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्राणानां त्यागः)

• करोति: does
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Present, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aṅkūreśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King / Yudhiṣṭhira (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims at a tīrtha observe fasting with calm faces, perform snāna at dawn, and a renunciant stands with staff and ochre cloth; the atmosphere suggests a threshold between worldly life and liberation-oriented resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Upavāsa
• Snāna
• Saṃnyāsa
• Prāṇatyāga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity amplifies spiritual results, and ultimate dedication—renunciation or dying at a sacred site—is portrayed as supremely transformative.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching continues within the Aṅkūreśvara-tīrtha māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upavāsa (fasting) and snāna (bathing) as merit-multipliers; also mentions saṃnyāsa and prāṇatyāga at the tīrtha.