Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

गृहे वा तिष्ठते यस्य लिखितं सार्ववार्णिकम् । स ब्रह्मा स शिवः साक्षात्स च देवो जनार्दनः

Transliteration

gṛhe vā tiṣṭhate yasya likhitaṃ sārvavārṇikam | sa brahmā sa śivaḥ sākṣātsa ca devo janārdanaḥ

Translation

In whose home this text abides—written for all classes of people—such a one is to be revered: he is Brahmā, he is Śiva in person, and he is also the Lord Janārdana.

Word by Word

• gṛhe: in a house
• gṛhe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (गृह-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (or)

• tiṣṭhate: remains, is present
• tiṣṭhate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• yasya: of whom, whose
• yasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (whose)

• likhitam: written
• likhitam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: likh (लिख् धातु) → likhita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (written)

• sārvavārṇikam: meant for all varṇas / universally applicable
• sārvavārṇikam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sārva (सार्व-प्रातिपदिक) + vārṇika (वार्णिक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (सर्ववर्णानां/सर्ववर्णेषु प्रचलितम्)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (he)

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (ब्रह्मन्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (शिव-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• sākṣāt: directly, in person
• sākṣāt: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (indeed/directly)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• devaḥ: god
• devaḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• janārdanaḥ: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• janārdanaḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (जनार्दन-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विष्णोर्नाम

Speaker

Sūta (deduced; Āvantya Khaṇḍa narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a traditional home shrine, the Revā-māhātmya manuscript rests on a decorated pedestal with lamps and flowers; the householder is shown receiving reverence, with subtle tri-deity radiance (Brahmā, Śiva, Viṣṇu) emanating as symbolic halos.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Śiva
• Janārdana (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Preserving and honoring dharmic scripture is itself worship; the householder becomes worthy of divine reverence through safeguarding sacred teaching.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā indirectly, since the praised ‘written text’ is the ongoing Revā-māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Keeping the māhātmya in written form within one’s home (manuscript preservation and veneration) is recommended.