Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

पशुवत्ते वधिष्यामि दण्डघातेन मस्तके । शिखायज्ञोपवीते च परिधानं वरासने

Transliteration

paśuvatte vadhiṣyāmi daṇḍaghātena mastake | śikhāyajñopavīte ca paridhānaṃ varāsane

Translation

«Comme une bête je t’abattrai, d’un coup de mon bâton sur la tête—moi qui porte la śikhā et le yajñopavīta, vêtu selon la règle, assis sur un siège noble.»

Word by Word

• पशुवत्: like an animal
• पशुवत्: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (like an animal)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) / चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) एकवचन; सन्दर्भे चतुर्थी-अर्थे (to you) अधिकयुक्तम्

• वधिष्यामि: I will kill
• वधिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दण्डघातेन: with a staff-blow
• दण्डघातेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + घात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: दण्डस्य घातः (by a blow of a staff)

• मस्तके: on the head
• मस्तके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• शिखा: topknot
• शिखा: Sambandha (Topic/उल्लेख)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सूच्यते/उल्लेख्यते)

• यज्ञोपवीते: sacred thread
• यज्ञोपवीते: Sambandha (Topic/उल्लेख)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/सप्तमी, एकवचन; समास: यज्ञस्य उपवीतम् (sacred thread). सन्दर्भे सूचीकरणे प्रथमा अधिकयुक्ता

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (and)

• परिधानम्: garment/clothing
• परिधानम्: Sambandha (Topic/उल्लेख)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सूचीकरणे प्रथमा (clothing/garment)

• वरासने: on a fine seat
• वरासने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: वरम् आसनम् (on a fine seat)

Speaker

Bhṛgu (implied continuation of his reaction; explicit speech marker appears next verse but content is his threat)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhṛgu-āśrama on Revā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhṛgu stands upright, staff raised, declaring punishment; his śikhā and yajñopavīta are clearly visible, garments neatly arranged, seated-place imagery implied as the authority-seat of dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Bhṛgu
• Daṇḍa (staff)
• Yajñopavīta (sacred thread)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer marks of piety (śikhā, yajñopavīta) do not automatically restrain anger; inner discipline is essential to dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse is ethical/narrative; the episode remains situated in the Narmadā (Revā) sacred zone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription; it references brāhmaṇical insignia (topknot, sacred thread) as part of the scene.