Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

तस्य चानुचरो भ्राता भ्रातुः शुश्रूषणे रतः । तपोजपकृशीभूतो दध्यौ देवं जनार्दनम्

Transliteration

tasya cānucaro bhrātā bhrātuḥ śuśrūṣaṇe rataḥ | tapojapakṛśībhūto dadhyau devaṃ janārdanam

Translation

Und sein Bruder, als sein Diener und Begleiter, eifrig im Dienst am Bruder, durch Tapas und Japa abgemagert, sann über den Herrn Janārdana.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• अनुचरः: attendant, follower
• अनुचरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भ्राता: brother
• भ्राता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भ्रातुः: of (his) brother
• भ्रातुः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुश्रूषणे: in service/attendance
• शुश्रूषणे: Adhikarana (Sphere/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रतः: devoted, engaged
• रतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम् (धातु) → रत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) अर्थे ‘आसक्त/निरतः’

• तपोजपकृशीभूतः: emaciated by austerity and japa
• तपोजपकृशीभूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् + जप + कृशी + भू (धातु) → भूत (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (तपोजपेन कृशीभूतः = ‘emaciated by austerity and recitation’); भूतः = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• दध्यौ: meditated upon
• दध्यौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जनार्दनम्: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विष्णोः नाम (apposition to ‘devam’)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Revā Khaṇḍa; specific speaker not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Māṇḍavya-āśrama / Revā-tīra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lean ascetic attendant-brother stands or sits near the meditating Māṇḍavya, offering water or simple service; his mind is fixed on Janārdana, envisioned as a serene Viṣṇu form in subtle radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Māṇḍavya
• Janārdana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is twofold: humble service to the saintly and inner worship through japa and meditation on the Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider Narmadā-bank ascetic setting of the Revā Khaṇḍa; the verse focuses on practice (sādhana) rather than naming a tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa (mantra repetition) and dhyāna (meditation), alongside śuśrūṣā (devotional service to a sage).