Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 183

Devanagari script

अथवा लोकवृत्त्यर्थं मर्त्यलोकं जिगीषति । साङ्गवेदज्ञविप्राणां जायते विमले कुले

Transliteration

athavā lokavṛttyarthaṃ martyalokaṃ jigīṣati | sāṅgavedajñaviprāṇāṃ jāyate vimale kule

Translation

Oder, wenn er um der weltlichen Pflichten und des rechten Lebenswandels willen in die Menschenwelt zurückkehren möchte, wird er in einer reinen Familie von Brahmanen geboren, kundig in den Veden samt ihren Hilfslehren.

Word by Word

• athavā: or else
• athavā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय) + vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (alternative: 'or else')

• loka-vṛtti-artham: for the sake of worldly livelihood
• loka-vṛtti-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (loka-vṛttyāḥ arthaḥ), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थ (purpose)

• martya-lokam: the mortal world
• martya-lokam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (martyānāṃ lokaḥ), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• jigīṣati: wishes to conquer
• jigīṣati: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ji (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); सन्नन्त (desiderative: 'wishes to conquer')

• sa-aṅga-veda-jña-viprāṇām: of Brahmins who know the Vedas with their auxiliaries
• sa-aṅga-veda-jña-viprāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (अव्यय) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + veda (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक) + vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (sa-aṅga-veda-jñaḥ vipraḥ), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• jāyate: is born
• jāyate: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• vimale: pure
• vimale: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) / पुंलिङ्ग-स्थाने (agreeing with kule), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) kule प्रति

• kule: in a family/lineage
• kule: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced from nearby context in Revā Khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhārabhūtyā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā (King)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A departing soul at the tirtha is shown at a crossroads: one path rises toward Śiva’s luminous realm; another returns toward a household scene where a pure brāhmaṇa family performs Vedic rites, indicating chosen return for duty.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Vedāṅga
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when liberation is available, a meritorious soul may choose rebirth to uphold dharma, receiving an auspicious birth among Veda-knowing families.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the preceding tīrtha context (Bhārabhūtyā and its merit) within Revā Khaṇḍa’s sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is prescribed; the fruit described is an elevated rebirth conditioned by dharmic intent.