Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

तृतीयं ख्यातदेवस्य दर्शनाभ्यर्चनादिभिः । चतुर्थं जाप्ययोगेन देहशक्त्या त्वहर्निशम्

Transliteration

tṛtīyaṃ khyātadevasya darśanābhyarcanādibhiḥ | caturthaṃ jāpyayogena dehaśaktyā tvaharniśam

Translation

Le troisième s’obtient par la vision et l’adoration de la divinité illustre, ainsi que par les autres actes de dévotion. Le quatrième s’obtient par la pratique disciplinée du japa, jour et nuit, selon la vigueur du corps.

Word by Word

• tṛtīyam: the third (benefit)
• tṛtīyam: Karma/Pratijna (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg; 'the third (benefit)')

• khyāta-devasya: of the famed deity
• khyāta-devasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khyāta (कृदन्त; √khyā, क्त) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: कर्मधारय (khyātaḥ devaḥ = 'famous deity'); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive singular)

• darśana-abhyarcana-ādibhiḥ: by seeing, worship, and the like
• darśana-abhyarcana-ādibhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darśana (प्रातिपदिक) + abhyarcana (प्रातिपदिक; abhi+√arc) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (darśana + abhyarcana) ततः 'ādi' सह समाहारार्थ-प्रयोग; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• caturtham: the fourth (benefit)
• caturtham: Karma/Pratijna (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg; 'the fourth (benefit)')

• jāpya-yogena: by the practice of recitation
• jāpya-yogena: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāpya (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: तत्पुरुष (jāpyasya yogaḥ = connection/practice of recitation); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• deha-śaktyā: with bodily strength
• deha-śaktyā: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: तत्पुरुष (dehasya śaktiḥ = bodily strength); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• aharniśam: day and night; continually
• aharniśam: Kala-adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aharniśam (अव्यय; अहन्+निशा समाहार)
• Form: समासः: द्वन्द्व (ahar + niśā) समाहारार्थे; कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (to Yudhiṣṭhira) [contextual deduction across Revā Khaṇḍa dialogue]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (contextual addressee)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a riverside temple, devotees offer flowers and incense to a famed deity; outside, ascetics sit in rows with mālās, continuing japa through dusk into night, lamps flickering along the ghat.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage-fruit is not only from travel; darśana, worship, and sustained japa—done within one’s capacity—are recognized as powerful spiritual disciplines.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse speaks generally within the Revā Khaṇḍa framework (Narmadā/Revā tīrtha culture), emphasizing devotion to a ‘renowned deity’ rather than naming a single shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devotional acts (darśana, abhyarcana) and japa performed continuously (aharniśam) in proportion to bodily strength.