Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

भुवः स्वश्चैव च महस्तपः सत्यं जनस्तथा । अनुगम्यमानो विप्रेण न शर्म लभते क्वचित्

Transliteration

bhuvaḥ svaścaiva ca mahastapaḥ satyaṃ janastathā | anugamyamāno vipreṇa na śarma labhate kvacit

Translation

Il traversa Bhuvar, Svar, Mahas, Tapas, Satya, et aussi Jana-loka; pourtant, poursuivi par le brāhmane, il ne trouva la paix nulle part.

Word by Word

• भुवः: Bhuvar (the mid-world)
• भुवः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (वैकल्पिकरूपेण प्रथमा-बहुवचन इति पाठान्तरसम्भवः); here as neuter accusative singular (loka-name)

• स्वः: Svarga (heaven)
• स्वः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (लोकनाम); neuter, accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• महत्: Maharloka
• महत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (महर्लोक-नाम) neuter, accusative singular

• तपः: Tapoloka
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (तपोलोक-नाम) neuter, accusative singular

• सत्यम्: Satyaloka
• सत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (सत्यलोक-नाम) neuter, accusative singular

• जनः: Janaloka
• जनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (लोकनाम; जनोलोकः); neuter, accusative singular

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (एवमेव/तद्वत्); indeclinable adverb

• अनुगम्यमानः: being followed
• अनुगम्यमानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + गम् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि-प्रयोगे शानच्/मान-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; masculine nominative singular

• विप्रेण: by a brāhmaṇa
• विप्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; masculine instrumental singular

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• शर्म: peace, comfort
• शर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter accusative singular

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; 3rd person singular present

• क्वचित्: anywhere/ever
• क्वचित्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक-अनिश्चित-क्रियाविशेषण (at any time/anywhere)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Reva/Narmadā frame (implicit)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A chased figure moves through luminous celestial tiers—Bhuvar, Svar, Mahas, Tapas, Satya, Jana—yet a stern brāhmaṇa pursuer remains close; despite the grandeur, the fugitive’s face shows no relief.

Characters & Entities

• Bhuvarloka
• Svarloka
• Maharloka
• Tapoloka
• Satyaloka
• Janaloka
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Peace is not a location; without reconciliation with dharma, even higher worlds cannot grant inner safety.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse enumerates cosmic lokas rather than a terrestrial pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.