Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

स्नानं महालम्भनादि कृतं तेन द्विजन्मना । जपं श्राद्धं तथा दानं कृत्वा धर्मानुसारतः

Transliteration

snānaṃ mahālambhanādi kṛtaṃ tena dvijanmanā | japaṃ śrāddhaṃ tathā dānaṃ kṛtvā dharmānusārataḥ

Translation

Ce dvija accomplit le bain rituel, à commencer par le grand rite de Mahālambhana ; et, selon le dharma, il fit aussi le japa, le śrāddha et le don charitable.

Word by Word

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महालम्भनादि: (rites) such as the great ālambhana, etc.
• महालम्भनादि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + आलम्भन + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (महालम्भनं च आदि च) — ‘ādi’ indicates etc.

• कृतम्: was performed
• कृतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) — ‘was done’

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• द्विजन्मना: by the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजन्मना: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• जपम्: recitation (japa)
• जपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ (and also)

• दानम्: gift/charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); कृत्यपूर्वक (having done)

• धर्मानुसारतः: according to dharma
• धर्मानुसारतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धर्म + अनुसारतस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-निबद्ध)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभाव (dharmam anusṛtya) — ‘according to dharma’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Revā Khaṇḍa context; traditionally Sūta in many recensions)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Daśāśvamedhika (contextual)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kathā audience (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On ghāṭ steps by a sacred river, the dvija completes a sequence: immersion bath, then seated japa with rosary, then offering śrāddha/tarpaṇa with water and sesame, and finally giving dāna to supplicants—orderly and serene.

Characters & Entities

• Mahālambhana (rite)
• Snāna
• Japa
• Śrāddha
• Dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification, remembrance, and generosity together form a complete dharmic life—inner practice (japa) joined to social virtue (dāna).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa sacred landscape is implied; the verse emphasizes ritual disciplines rather than naming a specific spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (including Mahālambhana-related observance), japa, śrāddha, and dāna—performed according to dharma.