Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

इति लज्जान्वितो विप्रः काले न महता नृप । चिन्तामवाप महतीमगतिज्ञो हि पावने

Transliteration

iti lajjānvito vipraḥ kāle na mahatā nṛpa | cintāmavāpa mahatīmagatijño hi pāvane

Translation

Ainsi, ô roi, ce brāhmane, rempli de honte, après longtemps tomba dans une grande angoisse, car il ne connaissait aucun refuge en matière de purification.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक/उद्धरणसूचक (thus)

• लज्जान्वितः: filled with shame
• लज्जान्वितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; अनु+√इ, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—विप्रः प्रति; तत्पुरुषः (लज्जया अन्वितः)

• विप्रः: the brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• काले: at the time
• काले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणम् (at the time)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक (not)

• महता: by (any) great (means)
• महता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; करण/सहकारि-अर्थे (by/with something great)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• चिन्ताम्: anxiety
• चिन्ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• अवाप: obtained
• अवाप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु) + अव (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/Imperfect-like past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; अव+√आप् (to obtain)

• महतīm: great
• महतīm: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—चिन्ताम् प्रति

• अगतिज्ञः: not knowing a way out
• अगतिज्ञः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगति (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—विप्रः प्रति; तत्पुरुषः (अगतिं जानाति/अगतिज्ञः = knowing no way out)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/कारणार्थक-निपातः (indeed/for)

• पावने: in the purifying (place)
• पावने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणम्; (पावन-तीर्थे/पावने स्थाने)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (to Yudhiṣṭhira)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tilāda (implied next refuge)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (nṛpa) addressed in the verse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone brāhmaṇa sits by the river path at dusk, head bowed, hands on forehead in anxiety; the distant ghāṭ and a faint sign of the sacred ford suggest hope. The king/listener is not in-scene; the focus is the inner turning point before purification.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa (Jābāli)
• Yudhiṣṭhira

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Recognition of wrongdoing and sincere remorse are shown as the doorway to seeking purifying dharma and tīrtha-grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Tilāda Tīrtha is the impending refuge; this verse narrates the inner crisis before reaching the purifying site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse emphasizes repentance and the need to find a purificatory path.