Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

क्लेशयित्वा निजं कायमुपायैर्बहुभिस्तु किम् । भज रेवां शिवं प्राप्य सुखसाध्यं परं पदम्

Transliteration

kleśayitvā nijaṃ kāyamupāyairbahubhistu kim | bhaja revāṃ śivaṃ prāpya sukhasādhyaṃ paraṃ padam

Translation

Pourquoi tourmenter ton propre corps par tant de moyens fabriqués ? Honore Revā et Śiva, et atteins l’état suprême, aisément obtenu par leur grâce.

Word by Word

• क्लेशयित्वा: having afflicted
• क्लेशयित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्लेशय् (धातु; √क्लिश् causative)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: √क्लिश् (to afflict) णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• निजम्: one's own
• निजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying कायम्)

• कायम्: body
• कायम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• उपायैः: by means
• उपायैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• बहुभिः: many
• बहुभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying उपायैः)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अनुवाद-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• किम्: what (use)?
• किम्: Prayojana (Rhetorical predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (what?)

• भज: worship
• भज: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• रेवाम्: Reva
• रेवाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having attained
• प्राप्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: √आप् (to obtain) उपसर्ग: प्र-

• सुखसाध्यम्: easily attainable
• सुखसाध्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of पदम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + साध्य (प्रातिपदिक; √साध्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (सुखेन साध्यम् = achievable with ease)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying पदम्)

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (Object/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified exhorter within the Revā-khaṇḍa narrative

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ascetic with harsh implements and strained posture is contrasted with a serene devotee on the Narmadā bank offering simple worship to Śiva; above, the ‘supreme state’ is symbolized by radiant stillness.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic path emphasizes devotion and tīrtha-worship as a compassionate, accessible means to the highest goal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā (Narmadā), paired with Śiva as the liberating focus of the region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship of Revā and Śiva rather than self-tormenting practices.