Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

दशभिर्जन्मभिर्जातं शतेन तु पुरा कृतम् । सहस्रेण त्रिजन्मोत्थं गायत्री हन्ति किल्बिषम्

Transliteration

daśabhirjanmabhirjātaṃ śatena tu purā kṛtam | sahasreṇa trijanmotthaṃ gāyatrī hanti kilbiṣam

Translation

The Gāyatrī strikes down sin: that which has arisen through ten births, that which was done long ago over a hundred births, and that which has sprung from three births even when accumulated a thousandfold.

Word by Word

• दशभिः: with ten (i.e., over ten)
• दशभिः: Visheshana (Quantifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (संख्याशब्द), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• जन्मभिः: by/through births
• जन्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• जातम्: born/arisen
• जातम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जन् (धातु) + क्त (जात)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त

• शतेन: with a hundred
• शतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/concessive)

• पुरा: formerly/earlier
• पुरा: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal adverb/कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• कृतम्: done/committed
• कृतम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त

• सहस्रेण: with a thousand
• सहस्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• त्रिजन्मोत्थम्: arisen from three births
• त्रिजन्मोत्थम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्थ (कृदन्त; √स्था/√उत्था (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; समासः (त्रि-जन्म-उत्थ)

• गायत्री: Gāyatrī (mantra)
• गायत्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हन्ति: destroys
• हन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किल्बिषम्: sin/impurity
• किल्बिषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍunandana

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gāyatrī’s radiance visualized as a spear of light striking a dark mass labeled ‘karmas of many births’, dissolving into sparks over the riverbank.

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic vision emphasizes the vast purifying capacity of sacred mantra, portraying Gāyatrī as a force that overcomes deep karmic residue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions within the Bhīmeśvara-tīrtha mahatmya sequence, praising practices performed there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Gāyatrī-japa is presented as the principal purificatory practice.