Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

शूद्रोऽपि द्विजशुश्रूषुस्तोषयित्वा महेश्वरम् । विमुच्य नान्यथा पापः पतते नरके ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

śūdro'pi dvijaśuśrūṣustoṣayitvā maheśvaram | vimucya nānyathā pāpaḥ patate narake dhruvam

Translation

Selbst ein Śūdra, der den Zweimalgeborenen dienstbar ist und Maheśvara erfreut hat, wird (von Sünde) befreit. Andernfalls wird die Sünde nicht abgestreift, und man fällt gewiss in die Hölle.

Word by Word

• शूद्रः: a Shudra
• शूद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (even)

• द्विज-शुश्रूषुः: desirous of serving the twice-born
• द्विज-शुश्रूषुः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विजशुश्रूषु (प्रातिपदिक); द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (शुश्रूषु = सेवा-इच्छुक)

• तोषयित्वा: having pleased
• तोषयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त धातु (तोषय-) + क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); अव्ययभाव

• महेश्वरम्: Maheshvara (Shiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक); महा + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विमुच्य: having been released; having cast off
• विमुच्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: उपसर्ग-युक्त (वि+मुच्) क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्यय (ल्यप्/absolutive in -ya)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक/प्रकारार्थक अव्यय (otherwise)

• पापः: a sinner
• पापः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पतते: falls
• पतते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम् (indeclinable adverbial accusative)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing reply)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (general)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble attendant serves brāhmaṇas and then offers flowers and water to a Śiva-liṅga; in the background, a shadowy depiction of naraka serves as moral contrast.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humble service and devotion that pleases Śiva are upheld as purifying; neglect of dharma leads to downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the focus is on conduct and devotion to Maheśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Service to the dvijas and devotion that ‘pleases Maheśvara’ are prescribed as the means of purification.