Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

व्रतं पाशुपतं भक्तया यथोक्तं पालयन्ति ये । शूद्रान्नेन विहीनास्तु ते यान्ति परमां गतिम्

Transliteration

vrataṃ pāśupataṃ bhaktayā yathoktaṃ pālayanti ye | śūdrānnena vihīnāstu te yānti paramāṃ gatim

Translation

Ceux qui, avec dévotion, observent le vœu pāśupata tel qu’il est prescrit, et qui s’abstiennent de se nourrir d’aliments fournis par un Śūdra, atteignent la suprême destinée.

Word by Word

• vratam: vow/observance
• vratam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — neuter, accusative singular

• pāśupatam: Pāśupata (of Śiva)
• pāśupatam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of vratam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāśupata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — neuter, accusative singular; विशेषण (vratam)

• bhaktayā: with devotion
• bhaktayā: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — feminine, instrumental singular

• yathā-uktam: as prescribed
• yathā-uktam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + ukta (कृदन्त; √vac वच्)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग — indeclinable adverbial compound “as stated/according to what is said”

• pālayanti: observe/maintain
• pālayanti: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pāl (पाल्)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद — present indicative, 3rd person plural, active

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (Subject of pālayanti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — masculine, nominative plural; relative pronoun

• śūdra-annena: with śūdra-food
• śūdra-annena: Karaṇa (Instrument/Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdra (प्रातिपदिक) + anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — neuter, instrumental singular; “by/with śūdra-food”

• vihīnāḥ: devoid (of it)
• vihīnāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of te)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi- (उपसर्ग) + hīna (कृदन्त/विशेषण; √hā हा ‘to abandon’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — masculine, nominative plural; “devoid of”

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Nipāta (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात) — particle “but/indeed”

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject of yānti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — masculine, nominative plural

• yānti: go/attain
• yānti: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद — present indicative, 3rd person plural, active

• paramām: supreme
• paramām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of gatim)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — feminine, accusative singular; विशेषण (gatim)

• gatim: state/goal
• gatim: Karma (Object/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — feminine, accusative singular

Speaker

Śaṅkara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā region)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee in simple attire with rudrākṣa and tripuṇḍra performs Pāśupata-vrata near the river, refusing offered food and choosing austere, pure fare; a subtle vision of Śiva indicates ‘paramā gati’.

Characters & Entities

• Paśupati (Śiva)
• Pāśupata Vrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional, rule-faithful observance of a Śaiva vow is portrayed as a direct means to the highest spiritual attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revā (Narmadā) sacred landscape, where Śaiva observances are taught as especially efficacious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observing the Pāśupata Vrata as instructed, together with strict dietary restraint as part of the vow.