Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

जटाकलापबद्धोऽयमनयोर्नः क्षमावतोः । सौम्यास्यदृष्टिः पापानि हन्तुं जन्मार्जितानि वै

Transliteration

jaṭākalāpabaddho'yamanayornaḥ kṣamāvatoḥ | saumyāsyadṛṣṭiḥ pāpāni hantuṃ janmārjitāni vai

Translation

Mit einem Bündel verfilzter Locken gebunden, diese beiden—uns stets verzeihend—möge ihr sanfter Blick, ihr mildes Antlitz, wahrlich die über Geburten angesammelten Sünden vernichten.

Word by Word

• जटाकलापबद्धः: bound with a mass of matted hair
• जटाकलापबद्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटा + कलाप + बद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (जटाकलापेन बद्धः)

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अनयोः: of these two
• अनयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) / सप्तमी (7th/Locative), द्विवचन; अत्र षष्ठी—‘of these two’

• नः: of us, our
• नः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• क्षमावतोः: of the two forgiving ones
• क्षमावतोः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षमावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; ‘of the two patient/forbearing (ones)’

• सौम्यास्यदृष्टिः: the gentle-faced glance/vision
• सौम्यास्यदृष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौम्य + आस्य + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सौम्यस्य आस्यस्य दृष्टिः/दर्शनम्)

• पापानि: sins
• पापानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• हन्तुम्: to destroy
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive/तुमन्त), ‘to slay/destroy’

• जन्मार्जितानि: acquired from birth (birth-earned)
• जन्मार्जितानि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्मन् + अर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कृदन्तः—क्त (PPP) ‘अर्जित’; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (जन्मना अर्जितानि)

• वै: indeed, surely
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphatic)

Speaker

Devotees/petitioners (contextual prayer within Revā Khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two compassionate ascetic-lords with matted locks stand near the river; devotees plead for forgiveness; the lords’ gentle gaze radiates outward like a cleansing light dissolving dark karmic stains.

Characters & Entities

• Nara-Nārāyaṇa (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine compassion accessed through darśana is presented as a force that dissolves deep karmic residue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The larger Revā Khaṇḍa context celebrates the Narmadā region; this verse centers on the deity’s merciful gaze.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied practice is seeking darśana and offering prayer for forgiveness; no formal vow is specified.