Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

धर्मकर्म सदा प्रायः सवर्णेनैव कारयेत् । पुत्रपौत्रादिकैर्वापि ज्ञातिभिर्गोत्रसम्भवैः

Transliteration

dharmakarma sadā prāyaḥ savarṇenaiva kārayet | putrapautrādikairvāpi jñātibhirgotrasambhavaiḥ

Translation

Im Allgemeinen sollen dharmische Handlungen von jemandem derselben Varṇa vollzogen werden; oder sie können von Söhnen, Enkeln und dergleichen, oder von Verwandten aus derselben Gotra ausgeführt werden.

Word by Word

• धर्मकर्म: religious duty and ritual act
• धर्मकर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• प्रायः: generally
• प्रायः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रायस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय प्रयोगः; आवृत्त्यर्थक/बहुलार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (generally/mostly)

• सवर्णेन: by a person of the same caste/class
• सवर्णेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सहायककर्तृ/करणभावे

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: only/indeed)

• कारयेत्: should have (it) done / should cause (it) to be performed
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कारय् (णिच्) ← कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative: cause to be done)

• पुत्रपौत्रादिकैः: by sons, grandsons, and the like
• पुत्रपौत्रादिकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पौत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पुत्र-पौत्र-आदि) + -क; करण/सहायककर्तृभावे

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• ज्ञातिभिः: by relatives
• ज्ञातिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• गोत्रसम्भवैः: born in the same lineage/clan
• गोत्रसम्भवैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (गोत्रात् सम्भवः) ; विशेषणं ज्ञातिभिः

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tirtha-zone (contextual)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A family group—sons and grandsons—assists in a riverbank rite while a learned officiant guides; the king is shown ensuring proper agents perform the act.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma recognizes proxy performance of rites, but within traditional boundaries of social and familial responsibility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha; the verse sets procedural norms relevant to tīrtha-yātrā and other dharmakarmas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dharmakarma is to be done by a savarṇa performer, or by close family (sons/grandsons) or gotra-related kinsmen as appropriate.