Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

परमं व्रतमास्थाय गुहावासी समार्बुदम् । तपश्चचार भगवाञ्जपस्नानरतः सदा

Transliteration

paramaṃ vratamāsthāya guhāvāsī samārbudam | tapaścacāra bhagavāñjapasnānarataḥ sadā

Translation

Das höchste Gelübde auf sich nehmend und in einer Höhle am Arbuda verweilend, übte der selige Herr strenge Askese, stets hingegeben an Japa und heiliges Bad.

Word by Word

• परमम्: supreme, highest
• परमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (neuter, accusative singular; adjective)

• व्रतम्: vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular)

• आस्थाय: having undertaken
• आस्थाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having undertaken)

• गुहावासी: a cave-dweller
• गुहावासी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गुहायां वासी) (masc., nominative singular)

• समार्बुदम्: for a full arbuda (a vast period)
• समार्बुदम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + अर्बुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; काल-परिमाणवाचक (neuter, accusative singular; a period/measure)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular)

• चचार: performed, practiced
• चचार: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (3rd person singular perfect)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masc., nominative singular)

• जपस्नानरतः: engaged in recitation and bathing
• जपस्नानरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप + स्नान + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार/द्वन्द्वपूर्वक तत्पुरुष (जपे स्नाने च रतः) (masc., nominative singular; engaged in japa and bathing)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of time)

Speaker

Narrator (contextually within Revā Khaṇḍa narration; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-tapas-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍava (implied by later vocative in the passage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cave on Arbuda: the Lord seated in yogic stillness, matted locks, rudrākṣa, water-pot nearby; a small spring or ritual bathing pool; subtle aura indicating sustained japa and tapas.

Characters & Entities

• Arbuda (Mount Abu/Arbuda)
• Vratam
• Tapas
• Japa
• Snāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha journey culminates in disciplined sādhana—vows, austerity, mantra-recitation, and purification practices.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Arbuda (Mount Arbuda, traditionally identified with Mount Abu) is highlighted as a setting for cave-dwelling austerities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Paramavrata with sustained tapas: regular japa (mantra repetition) and snāna (ritual bathing).