Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

वेदिमध्यगतं वापि महदासनसंस्थितम् । सुरूपं सुभगं शान्तं सर्वभूतहिते रतम्

Transliteration

vedimadhyagataṃ vāpi mahadāsanasaṃsthitam | surūpaṃ subhagaṃ śāntaṃ sarvabhūtahite ratam

Translation

(Qu’on invite et qu’on assoie ce brāhmaṇa) soit au milieu de l’espace de l’autel, soit sur un grand siège : beau d’aspect, gracieux, paisible, et voué au bien de tous les êtres.

Word by Word

• वेदिमध्यगतम्: gone to/placed in the middle of the altar
• वेदिमध्यगतम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदी (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त; √गम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — qualifying विप्रम् (understood); समासः (तत्पुरुष): वेद्याः मध्ये गतः

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात — disjunctive particle (‘or’)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात — particle (‘also/even’)

• महत्: great; large
• महत्: Karma (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — qualifying आसनम् (in compound)

• आसनसंस्थितम्: seated on a (great) seat
• आसनसंस्थितम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु, क्त, उपसर्ग सम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — ‘seated/placed on a seat’; समासः (तत्पुरुष)

• सुरूपम्: handsome; well-formed
• सुरूपम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — qualifying (him)

• सुभगम्: fortunate; auspicious
• सुभगम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुभग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — qualifying (him)

• शान्तम्: calm; peaceful
• शान्तम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त; √शम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — qualifying (him)

• सर्वभूतहिते: in the welfare of all beings
• सर्वभूतहिते: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण); एकवचन — ‘in the welfare of all beings’; समासः (तत्पुरुष)

• रतम्: devoted; engaged
• रतम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (कृदन्त; √रम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — ‘delighting/engaged’; qualifying (him)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha milieu

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍunandana (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene moment: the honored brāhmaṇa is seated at the center of the altar or on a large seat, composed and benevolent; attendants stand respectfully with folded hands; the altar is orderly and luminous.

Characters & Entities

• Vedi (altar)
• Vipra (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True religious authority is marked by peace and universal benevolence; such persons deserve central honor in ritual.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Revā-khaṇḍa milieu; it does not specify a single named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Seat the honored brāhmaṇa either at the center of the altar-space or on a prominent seat.