Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

एतद्धर्म्यमुपाख्यानं सर्वशास्त्रेष्वनुत्तमम् । देशे वा मण्डले वापि नगरे ग्राममध्यतः

Transliteration

etaddharmyamupākhyānaṃ sarvaśāstreṣvanuttamam | deśe vā maṇḍale vāpi nagare grāmamadhyataḥ

Translation

Ce récit sacré, conforme au dharma, sans égal parmi tous les śāstra—qu’il soit dans une contrée, une province, une cité ou au cœur d’un village—(là où il demeure, il sanctifie).

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; निर्देशार्थ (demonstrative)

• dharmyam: righteous, pertaining to dharma
• dharmyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharmya (धर्म्य-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (धर्मसम्बन्धि/धर्मयुक्त)

• upākhyānam: narrative, account
• upākhyānam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upākhyāna (उपाख्यान-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• sarva-śāstreṣu: in all scriptures
• sarva-śāstreṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (सर्व-प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (शास्त्र-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सर्वाणि शास्त्राणि)

• anuttamam: unsurpassed, supreme
• anuttamam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anuttama (अनुत्तम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (न उत्तमः)

• deśe: in a region
• deśe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (देश-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive: or)

• maṇḍale: in a district/territory
• maṇḍale: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍala (मण्डल-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (or)

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (also/even)

• nagare: in a city
• nagare: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagara (नगर-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• grāma-madhyataḥ: from/in the midst of a village
• grāma-madhyataḥ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: grāma (ग्राम-प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (मध्य-प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तस्-तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (from the middle of)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced; Āvantya Khaṇḍa narration style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A traveling reciter carries the Revā narrative; scenes show him welcomed in a region, a provincial seat, a city, and a village square—each place becoming serene and orderly as people gather to listen.

Characters & Entities

• Śāstra
• Upākhyāna (Revā Māhātmya implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred narratives are treated as living dharma; their presence and propagation sanctify communities and uphold religious order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Revā/Narmadā, since the ‘dharmya upākhyāna’ continues the Revā-carita context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied encouragement to install, preserve, and propagate the māhātmya text in public and domestic spaces.