Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

पादशौचं तथाभ्यङ्गं कुरुते योऽत्र भक्तितः । गोदाने चैव यत्पुण्यं लभते नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

pādaśaucaṃ tathābhyaṅgaṃ kurute yo'tra bhaktitaḥ | godāne caiva yatpuṇyaṃ labhate nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Wer hier aus Hingabe die Waschung der Füße und auch die Salbung mit Öl vollzieht, erlangt das gleiche Verdienst wie durch die Gabe einer Kuh—daran besteht kein Zweifel.

Word by Word

• पादशौचम्: washing of the feet
• पादशौचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद + शौच (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Neuter, Accusative singular; पादानां शौचम् (washing of feet)

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्ययम्; adverb (thus/also)

• अभ्यङ्गम्: oil-massage (abhyanga)
• अभ्यङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभि + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; उपसर्गपूर्व)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Masculine, Accusative singular; (oil-massage/bathing)

• कुरुते: does/performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Relative pronoun, Masculine, Nominative singular

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम्; adverb (here)

• भक्तितः: from devotion/out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Ablative singular used adverbially (out of devotion)

• गोदाने: in the gift of a cow
• गोदाने: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोदान (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Neuter, Locative singular; गोः दानम् (gift of a cow)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम्; emphatic particle

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Relative pronoun used adjectivally (that which)

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Neuter, Accusative singular

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• न: not/no
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्; negation particle

• अत्र: here/in this
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम्; adverb (here/in this matter)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Predicate-noun/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Masculine, Nominative singular

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Revā Khaṇḍa narrative style within Skanda Purāṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha (context)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim kneels to wash an ascetic’s feet beside the river; another scene shows gentle abhyanga with oil, with lamps and offerings nearby, conveying reverent hospitality.

Characters & Entities

• Go-dāna (cow-gift)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a sacred setting, humble acts of purity and service, done with devotion, can equal great charitable gifts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is framed within Revā Khaṇḍa’s tīrtha-context, pointing to Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā sacred domain).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pādaśauca (washing feet) and abhyaṅga (anointing/oil application), performed with devotion.