Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

न तेषां प्रेषणं नित्यं तेषां मतमनुस्मरन् । यशोभागी स्वधर्मस्थः स्वर्गभागी स जायते

Transliteration

na teṣāṃ preṣaṇaṃ nityaṃ teṣāṃ matamanusmaran | yaśobhāgī svadharmasthaḥ svargabhāgī sa jāyate

Translation

Il n’est pas besoin d’être sans cesse commandé par eux ; celui qui se souvient de leur enseignement et demeure établi dans son propre dharma devient participant de la bonne renommée et participant du ciel.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रेषणम्: command/ordering
• प्रेषणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √iṣ/√preṣ ‘to send/command’ से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (वाक्य-विषय)

• नित्यम्: always, constantly
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मतम्: opinion/counsel
• मतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनुस्मरन्: remembering, keeping in mind
• अनुस्मरन्: Karta (Agent as participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√smṛ (स्मृ धातु) + शतृ (present participle)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘remembering/keeping in mind’

• यशोभागी: partaker of fame
• यशोभागी: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yaśas + bhāgin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (यशसः भागी = partaker of fame)

• स्वधर्मस्थः: steadfast in one’s own duty
• स्वधर्मस्थः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva + dharma + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (स्वधर्मे स्थितः)

• स्वर्गभागी: partaker of heaven
• स्वर्गभागी: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarga + bhāgin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (स्वर्गस्य भागी)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (जन् धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Unknown (Revā Khaṇḍa narrative voice; likely a Purāṇic teacher addressing a listener within the Revā-māhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha-māhātmya setting

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm scene of a pilgrim-brāhmaṇa practicing svādhyāya by the Revā, with elders nearby but not commanding; a subtle celestial path above indicating svarga and a garland of fame (yaśas).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma becomes fruitful when it is internalized—remembered and lived—rather than followed only under external pressure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the verse continues a general dharma teaching within the Revā Khaṇḍa environment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is specified; the emphasis is on remembrance of injunctions and steadfastness in svadharma.