Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

बहुरूपं जपन्मन्त्रं दक्षिणाशां व्यवस्थितः । यथोक्तेन विधानेन नाभिमात्रे जले क्षिपेत्

Transliteration

bahurūpaṃ japanmantraṃ dakṣiṇāśāṃ vyavasthitaḥ | yathoktena vidhānena nābhimātre jale kṣipet

Translation

Stehend, nach Süden gewandt und das Bahurūpa-Mantra rezitierend, soll man—gemäß der vorgeschriebenen Ordnung—die Gabe in Wasser bis zur Nabelhöhe werfen.

Word by Word

• बहुरूपम्: many-formed
• बहुरूपम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (बहु + रूप)

• जपन्: reciting
• जपन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• दक्षिणाशाम्: the southern direction
• दक्षिणाशाम्: Desha/Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा + आशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/देश), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (दक्षिणा-आशा)

• व्यवस्थितः: standing/positioned
• व्यवस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यथोक्तेन: as prescribed
• यथोक्तेन: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा + उक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावसमासः (यथा + उक्त)

• विधानेन: by the procedure/rite
• विधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• नाभिमात्रे: in water up to the navel
• नाभिमात्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (नाभेः मात्रा)

• जले: in water
• जले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• क्षिपेत्: should throw/cast
• क्षिपेत्: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Deductive (Revā Khaṇḍa narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (Narmadā)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍunandana (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee stands waist-deep in river water, facing south, lips moving in mantra-japa, then gently casts an offering into the current with controlled gesture.

Characters & Entities

• Bahurūpa mantra
• Dakṣiṇā (south)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage-dharma includes precise, mindful ritual action—mantra, direction, and procedure align the act with sacred order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The rite is part of Karoḍī Tīrtha’s prescribed observance in the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Facing south, perform Bahurūpa-mantra japa and make the offering into navel-deep water as prescribed.