Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

रुद्रस्यानुचरो भूत्वा तेनैव सह मोदते । एतद्धर्ममुपाख्यानं सर्वशास्त्रेषु सत्तमम्

Transliteration

rudrasyānucaro bhūtvā tenaiva saha modate | etaddharmamupākhyānaṃ sarvaśāstreṣu sattamam

Translation

Devenu serviteur de Rudra, il se réjouit en sa compagnie. Ce récit du dharma est proclamé le plus excellent parmi tous les śāstra.

Word by Word

• रुद्रस्य: of Rudra
• रुद्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्

• अनुचरः: attendant; follower
• अनुचरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having become’

• तेन: with him
• तेन: Sahakari (Associate/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (सह/करण), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle: indeed/only)

• सह: with
• सह: Sahakari (Associate/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-योगे अव्यय (preposition-like: with)

• मोदते: rejoices
• मोदते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकालः), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• धर्मम्: dharma; religious merit/practice
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• उपाख्यानम्: narrative; episode
• उपाख्यानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सर्वशास्त्रेषु: in all scriptures
• सर्वशास्त्रेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (सर्वाणि शास्त्राणि)

• सत्तमम्: the best; most excellent
• सत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सत्’ तमप्-उत्तम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उत्तम-विशेषण (superlative)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā māhātmya (dharma-upākhyāna)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee is depicted as a luminous attendant (gaṇa-like but serene) standing near Rudra, sharing in Rudra’s joy; below, a manuscript labeled ‘dharma-upākhyāna’ is revered as the best of śāstras.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Association with the divine (Rudra) is promised through dharmic hearing; scripture itself is presented as a supreme path.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā sacred tradition being narrated; its hearing is linked to Rudra’s realm.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Continued engagement with the dharma-upākhyāna (listening/recitation) as a śāstric practice.