Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अपि वालाग्रमात्रं हि दत्तं भवति चाक्षयम् । अग्निप्रवेशं यः कुर्याच्छुक्लतीर्थे समाहितः

Transliteration

api vālāgramātraṃ hi dattaṃ bhavati cākṣayam | agnipraveśaṃ yaḥ kuryācchuklatīrthe samāhitaḥ

Translation

Même un don aussi infime que la pointe d’un cheveu devient impérissable. Et celui qui, l’esprit recueilli, entre dans le feu à Śuklatīrtha—

Word by Word

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = even

• vālāgramātram: only as much as the tip of a hair
• vālāgramātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāla + agra + mātra (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वालस्य अग्रं = hair-tip; तस्य मात्रम् = as much as)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (for/indeed)

• dattam: given
• dattam: Karma (Given thing/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dattá (कृदन्त; दा धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भूतकृत् (given); here predicate with bhavati

• bhavati: becomes/is
• bhavati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• akṣayam: imperishable
• akṣayam: Karta (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• agnipraveśam: entry into fire
• agnipraveśam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni + praveśa (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अग्नौ प्रवेशः)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• kuryāt: should do/undertake
• kuryāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• śuklatīrthe: at Śukla-tīrtha
• śuklatīrthe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śukla + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (शुक्लं तीर्थम्)

• samāhitaḥ: composed/collected (in mind)
• samāhitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-dhā (धा धातु) → samāhita (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (yaḥ)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced: Āvantya Khaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śuklatīrtha

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee offers a tiny token-gift (symbolized by a single hair-tip) at the ghat; nearby, a sacred fire burns as a symbol of tapas; the devotee sits in meditation, emphasizing inner composure rather than spectacle.

Characters & Entities

• Śuklatīrtha
• Agni

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

At a highly praised tīrtha, the smallest act of generosity becomes inexhaustible; intense tapas done with self-mastery is portrayed as spiritually decisive.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śuklatīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna yielding akṣaya merit, and the severe act of agni-praveśa performed with mental composure.