Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

स्वशाखोत्पन्नमन्त्रैश्च जपं कुर्युर्द्विजातयः । सावित्र्यष्टसहस्रं तु शताष्टकमथापि वा

Transliteration

svaśākhotpannamantraiśca japaṃ kuryurdvijātayaḥ | sāvitryaṣṭasahasraṃ tu śatāṣṭakamathāpi vā

Translation

Die Zweimalgeborenen sollen Japa mit Mantras verrichten, die aus ihrer eigenen vedischen Śākhā hervorgehen. Besonders mögen sie die Sāvitrī achttausendmal rezitieren — oder auch hundertachtmal.

Word by Word

• स्वशाखोत्पन्नमन्त्रैः: with mantras arisen from one’s own branch (Vedic recension)
• स्वशाखोत्पन्नमन्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शाखा (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पन्न (कृदन्त, √पद्/√पद्-उत्) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वशाखायाम् उत्पन्नाः मन्त्राः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• जपम्: recitation (japa)
• जपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कुर्युः: should do
• कुर्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजातयः: the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजातयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• सावित्री-अष्टसहस्रम्: eight thousand (recitations) of the Sāvitrī
• सावित्री-अष्टसहस्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्ट (संख्या) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (अष्ट सहस्राणि = 8000)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle)

• शताष्टकम्: eight hundreds (i.e., 800)
• शताष्टकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शतानाम् अष्टकं = 800)

• अथ: or else/then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

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

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

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpaśreṣṭha (best of kings)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dvija seated on kuśa-grass by the riverbank, performing japa with a mālā; subtle aura of the Sāvitrī mantra as a radiant sun-disc behind, with Vedic palm-leaf/śākhā symbols nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual practice is strengthened by faithful adherence to one’s Vedic lineage and disciplined mantra-japa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The japa instruction is part of the observance connected to the Mārkaṇḍeśvara cave-liṅga in Revākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa with one’s śākhā mantras; specifically Sāvitrī japa of 8000 repetitions or alternatively 108.