Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

श्राद्धेन हव्यकव्येन शिवपूजार्चनेन च । अग्निष्टोमादियज्ञैश्च विधिवच्चाप्तदक्षिणैः

Transliteration

śrāddhena havyakavyena śivapūjārcanena ca | agniṣṭomādiyajñaiśca vidhivaccāptadakṣiṇaiḥ

Translation

Durch das Śrāddha mit Havya- und Kavya-Gaben, durch Śivas Verehrung und rituelle Arcana, und durch Opfer wie das Agniṣṭoma, regelgemäß vollzogen und mit der gebührenden Dakṣiṇā vollendet, (erlangt man die beabsichtigte Verdienste).

Word by Word

• श्राद्धेन: by śrāddha (ancestral rite)
• श्राद्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• हव्यकव्येन: with havya and kavya offerings
• हव्यकव्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्य + कव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः—हव्य-कव्य (offerings to gods and ancestors)

• शिवपूजार्चनेन: by worship and adoration of Śiva
• शिवपूजार्चनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + पूजा + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः—पूजा-अर्चन (worship and adoration) शिवस्य

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

• अग्निष्टोमादियज्ञैः: by sacrifices such as Agniṣṭoma
• अग्निष्टोमादियज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निष्टोम + आदि + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—अग्निष्टोम-आदि-यज्ञ (sacrifices such as Agniṣṭoma)

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

• विधिवत्: according to rule/properly
• विधिवत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

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

• आप्तदक्षिणैः: with duly provided priestly fees
• आप्तदक्षिणैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आप्त + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक (दक्षिणा) तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (यज्ञैः इत्यस्य); समासः—आप्त-दक्षिणा (having duly given fees)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha (Revākhaṇḍa context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual pavilion near the river: priests conduct śrāddha with piṇḍa/tilodaka nearby, another group performs Śiva-arcana at a liṅga, and a Vaidika altar suggests Agniṣṭoma with offerings and dakṣiṇā being presented.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha
• Havya
• Kavya
• Śiva
• Agniṣṭoma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma harmonizes three duties—toward gods (havya), ancestors (kavya), and Śiva-bhakti—supported by correctly performed yajña and generosity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ritual program is framed within the Devakhāta/Māṇḍaveśvara tīrtha māhātmya of Āvantya Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śrāddha with havya-kavya, Śiva pūjā/arcana, and Vedic sacrifices like Agniṣṭoma performed vidhivat with appropriate dakṣiṇā.