Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

ऋग्यजुःसामविहितैर्मन्त्रैर्होमपरायणैः । केचित्पञ्चाग्निमध्यस्थाः केचिदेकान्तसंस्थिताः

Transliteration

ṛgyajuḥsāmavihitairmantrairhomaparāyaṇaiḥ | kecitpañcāgnimadhyasthāḥ kecidekāntasaṃsthitāḥ

Translation

Some were devoted to fire-offerings with mantras prescribed in the Ṛg, Yajus, and Sāman; some practiced austerity amid the five fires, while others remained established in solitude.

Word by Word

• ऋक्-यजुः-साम-विहितैः: with (mantras) prescribed in Ṛg, Yajus, and Sāman
• ऋक्-यजुः-साम-विहितैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṛk (प्रातिपदिक) + yajuḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + sāman (प्रातिपदिक) + vihita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (मन्त्रैः)

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• होम-परायणैः: by those devoted to fire-offerings
• होम-परायणैः: Kartṛ (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: homa (प्रातिपदिक) + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ऋषिभिः/जनैः implied)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kecit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (some persons)

• पञ्च-अग्नि-मध्य-स्थाः: standing amid five fires
• पञ्च-अग्नि-मध्य-स्थाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक) + agni (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (केचित्)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kecit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• एकान्त-संस्थिताः: situated in solitude
• एकान्त-संस्थिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekānta (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (केचित्)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (yajña-tapas-bhūmi)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Multiple ascetic scenes in one panorama: a homa-kuṇḍa with flames and ladles; Vedic chanters with three Veda symbols; a pañcāgni ascetic seated amid four fires with the sun overhead; a solitary yogin under a tree in meditation.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛgveda
• Yajurveda
• Sāmaveda
• Ṛṣis
• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Multiple valid disciplines—Vedic homa, severe tapas, and solitude—can all serve dharma when practiced with dedication.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sages’ āśrama within the Revā Khaṇḍa sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of homa with Veda-enjoined mantras; also pañcāgni austerity and solitary practice are noted.