Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

भवत्यशेषदुष्टानां नाशायालं नरोत्तम । दीपप्रज्वलनं यस्य नित्यमग्रे श्रियः पतेः

Transliteration

bhavatyaśeṣaduṣṭānāṃ nāśāyālaṃ narottama | dīpaprajvalanaṃ yasya nityamagre śriyaḥ pateḥ

Translation

Ô le meilleur des hommes : pour celui dont la lampe est allumée chaque jour devant le Seigneur de Śrī, cela suffit pleinement à anéantir toutes les forces mauvaises.

Word by Word

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

• अशेषदुष्टानाम्: of all the wicked
• अशेषदुष्टानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशेष + दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (अशेषाः दुष्टाः)

• नाशाय: for destruction
• नाशाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• अलम्: enough; capable
• अलम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — ‘sufficient/able (to)’

• नरोत्तम: O best of men
• नरोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नराणाम् उत्तमः)

• दीपप्रज्वलनम्: lighting of a lamp
• दीपप्रज्वलनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप + प्रज्वलन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दीपस्य प्रज्वलनम्)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अग्रे: in front (of)
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम्; अव्यय (adverb of place)

• श्रियः: of Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• श्रियः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• पतेः: of the Lord/husband
• पतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice) addressing Yudhiṣṭhira

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīra observance (nitya-dīpa before Śrīpati)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: ‘Naroत्तama’—the exemplary practitioner/pilgrim

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A steady lamp burns before Śrīpati; shadows of ‘wicked forces’ recede as the flame’s aura expands, symbolizing dharma’s protection.

Characters & Entities

• Śrīpati (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Daily, consistent devotion—symbolized by lighting a lamp—creates spiritual protection and dispels negativity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is not site-specific; it belongs to Revā Khaṇḍa’s broader sacred setting and promotes a universal household/temple practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Light a lamp daily before Śrīpati (Viṣṇu) as a protective devotional observance.