Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

अतो न चेतः संदिग्धं कर्तव्यमिह कर्हिचित् । एहि विप्र यथाकामं बालार्थे पिब मे स्तनम्

Transliteration

ato na cetaḥ saṃdigdhaṃ kartavyamiha karhicit | ehi vipra yathākāmaṃ bālārthe piba me stanam

Translation

Darum soll in deinem Herzen hier zu keiner Zeit Zweifel sein. Komm, o Brahmane, trink nach Wunsch an meiner Brust — um des Kindes willen.

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक अव्यय (therefore)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negator/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• चेतः: mind
• चेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• संदिग्धम्: doubtful
• संदिग्धम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संदिग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त-आधारित विशेषण (doubted)

• कर्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligation), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• कर्हिचित्: ever/at any time
• कर्हिचित्: Sambandha (Temporal/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्हिचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (at any time/ever)

• एहि: come
• एहि: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• विप्र: O brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• यथाकामम्: as you wish
• यथाकामम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा-काम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverb)

• बालार्थे: for the child's sake
• बालार्थे: Adhikarana (Purpose/निमित्त)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (बालस्य अर्थे = for the child's sake)

• पिब: drink
• पिब: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्तनम्: breast
• स्तनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified female speaker (urging decisive compassionate action)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vipra (brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The mother beckons the brāhmaṇa, dispelling his hesitation; the gesture is inviting yet authoritative, centered on the child’s welfare.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra
• Bāla (child)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When compassion aligns with dharma, hesitation should be abandoned and timely help should be given.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it sits within the Revā Khaṇḍa milieu connected to the Narmadā sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual prescription; it is a narrative instruction aimed at saving/sustaining the child.