Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

तेन देवान् विधानोक्तान् स्थापयन्ति नरा भुवि । अक्षयं चाव्ययं यस्मात्फलं भवति नान्यथा

Transliteration

tena devān vidhānoktān sthāpayanti narā bhuvi | akṣayaṃ cāvyayaṃ yasmātphalaṃ bhavati nānyathā

Translation

C’est pourquoi les hommes sur la terre établissent les divinités selon les prescriptions des Écritures, car le fruit qui en naît est impérissable et infaillible, et non autrement.

Word by Word

• तेन: therefore/by that (means)
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• देवान्: deities
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• विधानोक्तान्: prescribed by rule
• विधानोक्तान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधान + उक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘देवान्’); समासः तत्पुरुष (‘विधाने उक्ताः’ = prescribed in injunctions)

• स्थापयन्ति: they install
• स्थापयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था + णिच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative: ‘they install’)

• नराः: men, people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: ‘भुव्/भू’ as noun)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• अक्षयम्: imperishable
• अक्षयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘फलम्’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• अव्ययम्: unchanging, inexhaustible
• अव्ययम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘फलम्’)

• यस्मात्: because
• यस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतुवाचक (causal relative: ‘because/from which’)

• फलम्: fruit, result
• फलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भवति: becomes/is
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb: ‘otherwise’)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formal consecration assembly: priests consult palm-leaf śāstra, measure the altar, place the deity with kalasha and mantra; the scene emphasizes order, geometry, and correctness; above, a symbolic ‘akṣaya’ motif—an unending lamp or inexhaustible vessel.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Vidhi (ritual ordinance)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma performed according to proper vidhi yields akṣaya (imperishable) merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revā Khaṇḍa tīrtha setting (Soma-tīrtha/Candrahāsya) frames this instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Installing deities in accordance with prescribed ritual injunctions (vidhāna).