Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

एवं ते बहवो विप्राः प्रत्याख्याते निमन्त्रणे । पुराणार्थमजानन्तो नास्तिका बहवो गताः

Transliteration

evaṃ te bahavo viprāḥ pratyākhyāte nimantraṇe | purāṇārthamajānanto nāstikā bahavo gatāḥ

Translation

So geschah es: Als die Einladung zurückgewiesen wurde, gingen viele Brāhmaṇas fort, ohne die purāṇische Absicht zu erkennen; und viele von ihnen verfielen in eine nāstika-hafte, skeptische Haltung.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• bahavaḥ: many
• bahavaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying viprāḥ)

• viprāḥ: Brahmins
• viprāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• pratyākhyāte: when (it was) refused
• pratyākhyāte: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-ā√khyā (धातु) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी प्रयोग (locative absolute)

• nimantraṇe: in/at the invitation
• nimantraṇe: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nimantraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• purāṇārtham: the meaning/purpose of the Purāṇa
• purāṇārtham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (purāṇasya arthaḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ajānantaḥ: not knowing
• ajānantaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत्-प्रत्यय) with a- (नञ्)
• Form: कृदन्त (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शतृ) with नञ्-प्रत्यय (negation); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying viprāḥ)

• nāstikāḥ: atheists/deniers
• nāstikāḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāstika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय (predicate noun)

• bahavaḥ: many
• bahavaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying gatāḥ / implied viprāḥ)

• gatāḥ: went/became
• gatāḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Revā Khaṇḍa context; traditionally Sūta in many recensions)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of brāhmaṇas, having declined an invitation, walk away in confusion; some display skeptical expressions, symbolizing the tragedy of missing a hidden sacred opportunity due to ignorance.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas (viprāḥ)
• Nāstikas (sceptics)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Without grasping the deeper Purāṇic purpose, people can misjudge sacred events and drift into doubt instead of devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is framed in Revā Khaṇḍa (Narmadā sacred context), but it emphasizes interpretation and faith rather than naming a site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it critiques misunderstanding of a ritual invitation and its spiritual meaning.