Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

द्विजवर्य कथं चेष्टा दश यज्ञा महाधनाः

Transliteration

dvijavarya kathaṃ ceṣṭā daśa yajñā mahādhanāḥ

Translation

„O Bester der Brāhmaṇas, wie konnte dies vollbracht werden—diese zehn großen, an Reichtum so aufwendigen Yajñas?“

Word by Word

• dvija-varya: O best of brāhmaṇas
• dvija-varya: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + varya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (द्विजेषु वर्यः); पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• ceṣṭā: effort/undertaking
• ceṣṭā: Karta/Pratijñā (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ceṣṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (अव्ययवत्) बहुवचनार्थे; विशेषणम् (yajñāḥ)

• yajñāḥ: sacrifices
• yajñāḥ: Karta/Pratijñā (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• mahā-dhanāḥ: requiring great wealth/very costly
• mahā-dhanāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (महद् धनं येषां ते); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (yajñāḥ)

Speaker

Śiva (implied continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śaṅkara addresses the brāhmaṇa respectfully, asking how ten great, wealth-intensive sacrifices could be carried out.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (Brāhmaṇa)
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted ritual attainments are examined by the Lord; true dharma must be grounded in right means and faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revā Khaṇḍa context points to a Revā/Narmadā tīrtha whose merit is being discussed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse references “ten sacrifices,” highlighting the magnitude of yajña, but gives no procedural prescription here.