Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

शिवस्वरूपस्य ततः कृतमात्राक्षरं भवेत् । तिर्यञ्चः पशवश्चैव वृक्षा गुल्मलतादयः

Transliteration

śivasvarūpasya tataḥ kṛtamātrākṣaraṃ bhavet | tiryañcaḥ paśavaścaiva vṛkṣā gulmalatādayaḥ

Translation

Darum wird selbst das bloße Vollziehen einer einzigen Silbe (des Praṇava) zur Vereinigung mit Śivas eigener Wesensnatur. Sogar Vögel und Tiere, ebenso Bäume, Sträucher, Ranken und dergleichen, werden dort erhoben.

Word by Word

• शिवस्वरूपस्य: of Śiva’s true form
• शिवस्वरूपस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य स्वरूपम्)

• ततः: therefore; then
• ततः: Hetu/Sequence (Reason/Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; तस्मात्/ततः इति हेत्वर्थ/क्रमार्थ (therefore/then/from that)

• कृतमात्राक्षरम्: a syllable consisting only of a mātrā (measure)
• कृतमात्राक्षरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (√कृ + क्त) + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कृता मात्रा यस्य अक्षरस्य/अक्षरं यत् मात्रया कृतम्)

• भवेत्: would be/become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तिर्यञ्चः: animals (lower creatures)
• तिर्यञ्चः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिर्यञ्च् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• पशवः: beasts
• पशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः

• एव: indeed; also
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (emphasis)

• वृक्षाः: trees
• वृक्षाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• गुल्मलतादयः: shrubs, creepers, and the like
• गुल्मलतादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुल्म (प्रातिपदिक) + लता (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (गुल्माश्च लताश्च) + 'आदि' (etc.)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing narration to Yudhiṣṭhira)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Amareśvara (Śiva-svarūpa/Praṇava field)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tranquil forested riverbank around Amareśvara: birds perched, deer nearby, creepers and trees subtly glowing; a pilgrim utters a single Oṃ, shown as a luminous syllable merging into the Śiva-liṅga’s aura, spreading light to animals and plants.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Tiryañc (creatures)
• Vṛkṣa (trees)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

At an empowered tīrtha, even minimal spiritual practice (a single syllable/japa) connects one to Śiva’s essence, and the sanctity extends compassionately to all beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Revā-region tīrtha linked with Viśalyā, whose sanctity benefits all forms of life.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, japa/utterance of the Praṇava (Oṃ) is praised—its ‘mere performance’ is said to yield profound spiritual effect at that place.