Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणान् पूजयेद्भक्त्या यथाशक्त्या यथाविधि । रात्रौ जागरणं कार्यं कथायां तत्र भारत

Transliteration

brāhmaṇān pūjayedbhaktyā yathāśaktyā yathāvidhi | rātrau jāgaraṇaṃ kāryaṃ kathāyāṃ tatra bhārata

Translation

Qu’on vénère les brāhmaṇas avec dévotion, selon ses moyens et selon le rite. Et la nuit, là, qu’on veille, absorbé dans la sainte kathā, ô Bhārata.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• पूजयेत्: should worship/honor
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• यथा-शक्त्या: according to one's ability
• यथा-शक्त्या: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण); अव्ययीभाव (यथाशक्ति = as per ability)

• यथा-विधि: according to the prescribed rite
• यथा-विधि: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण); अव्ययीभाव (यथाविधि = according to rule)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (वैदिक/प्रयोग: रात्रौ)

• जागरणम्: keeping vigil
• जागरणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• कार्यम्: to be done/should be done
• कार्यम्: Kriya (Predicative necessity/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः कृत्य-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be done)

• कथायाम्: in the narration/discourse
• कथायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha (contextual)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night at a river-ghāṭa: brāhmaṇas seated on mats receiving respectful worship and offerings; lamps and incense glow; a storyteller recites sacred kathā to gathered pilgrims keeping vigil.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Bhārata (listener epithet)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True tīrtha practice blends devotion with service—honoring the worthy and staying awake in dharma-kathā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāha Tīrtha on the Narmadā, within the Revā Khaṇḍa itinerary.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Brāhmaṇa-pūjā (honoring brāhmaṇas), and night-long jāgaraṇa with kathā (sacred narration).