Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

येन पुत्रा भविष्यन्ति आयुष्मन्तो गुणान्विताः । तत्कार्यं च समीक्षस्व येन तुष्येत्प्रजापतिः

Transliteration

yena putrā bhaviṣyanti āyuṣmanto guṇānvitāḥ | tatkāryaṃ ca samīkṣasva yena tuṣyetprajāpatiḥ

Translation

Examine la voie par laquelle naîtront des fils, longs de vie et riches de vertus ; examine l’acte par lequel Prajāpati sera satisfait.

Word by Word

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन

• भविष्यन्ति: will be, will come to be
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• आयुष्मन्तः: long-lived, fortunate
• आयुष्मन्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयुष्मत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पुत्राः)

• गुणान्विताः: endowed with virtues
• गुणान्विताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (गुणैः अन्विताः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• कार्यम्: the act to be done, the means
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः यत्/ण्यत्-निर्मित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

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

• समीक्षस्व: consider, examine
• समीक्षस्व: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• तुष्येत्: may be pleased
• तुष्येत्: Kriya (Result/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati (Lord of creatures)
• प्रजापतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: प्रजायाः पतिः)

Speaker

Anasūyā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Atri (vipra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guiding figure gestures toward a ritual fire or a symbolic lotus of Prajāpati/Brahmā, indicating ‘the deed to be done’; the couple listens with focused resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Prajāpati
• Putra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desired outcomes (like progeny) should be sought through dharmic means—actions aligned with cosmic order and divine approval.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified in this verse; it focuses on pleasing Prajāpati rather than a named pilgrimage place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse does not specify a single rite; it advises discerning the proper dharmic action that pleases Prajāpati.