Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

यच्चेष्ट्वा बहुभिर्यज्ञैः समाप्तवरदक्षिणैः । गोस्वर्णकोटिदानैश्च तत्फलं स्थापिते शिवे

Transliteration

yacceṣṭvā bahubhiryajñaiḥ samāptavaradakṣiṇaiḥ | gosvarṇakoṭidānaiśca tatphalaṃ sthāpite śive

Translation

Quel que soit le mérite acquis par l’accomplissement de nombreux yajñas, achevés avec une dakṣiṇā convenable et excellente, et par le don de crores de vaches et d’or, ce même fruit est obtenu en établissant Śiva.

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever (that)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• चेष्ट्वा: having performed/endeavored
• चेष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• बहुभिः: with many
• बहुभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘यज्ञैः’ इति विशेषणम्

• यज्ञैः: by sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• समाप्तवरदक्षिणैः: with completed and excellent fees (dakṣiṇās)
• समाप्तवरदक्षिणैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाप्त + वर + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—समाप्ता वरदक्षिणा येषां ते (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः), रूपतः तत्पुरुष-समाहार; ‘यज्ञैः’ इति विशेषणम्

• गोस्वर्णकोटिदानैः: by gifts of crores of cows and gold
• गोस्वर्णकोटिदानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + स्वर्ण + कोटि + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—गोस्वर्णकोटीनां दानानि

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

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘फलम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• स्थापिते: when (he is) installed
• स्थापिते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘शिवे’ इति सह अधिकरणे

• शिवे: in/when Śiva (is present/installed)
• शिवे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (continuing instruction; narrated by Mārkaṇḍeya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīra Śiva-sthāpana (implied)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contrast tableau: on one side grand yajñas with priests and offerings; on the other, a simple yet radiant Śiva-liṅga being established—shown as equal in spiritual weight.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Yajña (sacrifice)
• Dāna (charity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional consecration of Śiva can equal or surpass the merit of elaborate Vedic sacrifices and large-scale charity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The implied setting remains Revā/Narmadā tīra, where Śiva-sthāpanā is recommended.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śiva-sthāpanā (installation/consecration) is prescribed as a high-merit act, comparable to yajña and koṭi-dāna.