Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

चरितं च त्वया लोके देवदानवदुश्चरम् । वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते यत्ते मनसि रोचते

Transliteration

caritaṃ ca tvayā loke devadānavaduścaram | varaṃ vṛṇīṣva bhadraṃ te yatte manasi rocate

Translation

Et tu as accompli en ce monde un exploit difficile même pour les Deva et les Dānava. Choisis une grâce—qu’elle te soit propice—tout ce que ton cœur désire.

Word by Word

• चरितम्: deed, exploit
• चरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (कृदन्त; √चर् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृत् (क्त) ‘चरित’ = done/acted

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/त्रिलिङ्ग-सर्वनाम, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular)

• देवदानवदुश्चरम्: hard even for gods and demons
• देवदानवदुश्चरम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव + दानव + दुश्चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—देवदानवयोः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + दुश्चरम् (कर्मधारय-भाव) = ‘देवदानवदुश्चरम्’

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• वृणीष्व: choose (you)
• वृणीष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भद्रम्: good fortune
• भद्रम्: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Benediction/आशीः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; आशीर्वादार्थक प्रयोग

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन (genitive/dative singular)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative)

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (genitive singular)

• मनसि: in (your) mind
• मनसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular)

• रोचते: pleases, is desired
• रोचते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Īśvara / Maheśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā tīrthas)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kambu (Dānava)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A deity (Īśvara/Śaṅkara) acknowledges a formidable feat and invites the petitioner to choose a boon; the setting suggests a sacred riverside or tīrtha grove.

Characters & Entities

• Kambu
• Deva
• Dānava
• Maheśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Extraordinary discipline draws divine favor; when the Lord is pleased, he authorizes the devotee’s chosen aim.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā setting remains the implied tīrtha backdrop for the tapas that earned the boon.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new ritual is prescribed; this verse formalizes boon-selection (vara-vṛṇīṣva) after completed austerity.