Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

द्विजवर्य कथं चेष्टा दश यज्ञा महाधनाः

Transliteration

dvijavarya kathaṃ ceṣṭā daśa yajñā mahādhanāḥ

Translation

«Ô le meilleur des brāhmanes, comment cela fut-il accompli : ces dix grands yajñas, si coûteux en richesses ?»

Word by Word

• dvija-varya: O best of brāhmaṇas
• dvija-varya: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + varya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (द्विजेषु वर्यः); पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• ceṣṭā: effort/undertaking
• ceṣṭā: Karta/Pratijñā (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ceṣṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (अव्ययवत्) बहुवचनार्थे; विशेषणम् (yajñāḥ)

• yajñāḥ: sacrifices
• yajñāḥ: Karta/Pratijñā (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• mahā-dhanāḥ: requiring great wealth/very costly
• mahā-dhanāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (महद् धनं येषां ते); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (yajñāḥ)

Speaker

Śiva (implied continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śaṅkara addresses the brāhmaṇa respectfully, asking how ten great, wealth-intensive sacrifices could be carried out.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (Brāhmaṇa)
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted ritual attainments are examined by the Lord; true dharma must be grounded in right means and faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revā Khaṇḍa context points to a Revā/Narmadā tīrtha whose merit is being discussed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse references “ten sacrifices,” highlighting the magnitude of yajña, but gives no procedural prescription here.