Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

इष्टबन्धूंश्च विष्णुं च शङ्करं सगणेश्वरम् । व्रजेद्द्विजाभ्यनुज्ञातो गृहीत्वा नियमानपि

Transliteration

iṣṭabandhūṃśca viṣṇuṃ ca śaṅkaraṃ sagaṇeśvaram | vrajeddvijābhyanujñāto gṛhītvā niyamānapi

Translation

Après avoir rendu hommage aux proches bien-aimés, à Viṣṇu et à Śaṅkara avec Gaṇeśa, et ayant reçu l’assentiment des deux-fois-nés (brāhmaṇas), qu’il se mette en route, en observant aussi les règles de retenue prescrites.

Word by Word

• इष्टबन्धून्: dear relatives
• इष्टबन्धून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (इष्टानां बन्धवः)

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

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• शङ्करम्: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सगणेश्वरम्: together with Gaṇeśvara
• सगणेश्वरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ) + गणेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सहार्थक-तत्पुरुषः (गणेश्वरेण सह)

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• द्विजाभ्यनुज्ञातः: permitted by the Brahmins
• द्विजाभ्यनुज्ञातः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुज्ञात (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजैः अनुज्ञातः = permitted by the twice-born)

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having taken)

• नियमान्: disciplines/vows
• नियमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (also/even)

Speaker

Unspecified (Revā Khaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa/rajendra (king addressed in subsequent verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim, after bowing to elders and kinsmen, stands before a small shrine where Viṣṇu and Śaṅkara are honored, with Gaṇeśa invoked for auspicious beginnings; brāhmaṇas grant permission as the pilgrim takes vows and prepares to depart toward the river tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śaṅkara
• Gaṇeśa
• Dvija (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A righteous pilgrimage begins with reverence—toward family, deities, and learned elders—and with disciplined observances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified; the verse lays down general yātrā-vidhi within the Revā Khaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer respects to Viṣṇu, Śiva, and Gaṇeśa; seek brāhmaṇa approval; undertake niyamas before starting the journey.