Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 122

Devanagari script

नारायणं समुद्दिश्य ब्राह्मणे विष्णुतत्परे । सा सदा स्पर्शसम्भाषैर्द्रावयेद्भावयेज्जनम्

Transliteration

nārāyaṇaṃ samuddiśya brāhmaṇe viṣṇutatpare | sā sadā sparśasambhāṣairdrāvayedbhāvayejjanam

Translation

Dédiant l’offrande à Nārāyaṇa et la remettant à un brāhmane voué à Viṣṇu, elle gagne toujours les êtres et les élève, par son toucher et par sa parole.

Word by Word

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• समुद्दिश्य: having intended (addressing)
• समुद्दिश्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्+उद्+दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having intended/aimed at’

• ब्राह्मणे: in/with regard to a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणे: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• विष्णुतत्परे: devoted to Viṣṇu
• विष्णुतत्परे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (ब्राह्मणे)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• स्पर्शसम्भाषैः: by touch and conversation
• स्पर्शसम्भाषैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भाषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; साधनम्

• द्रावयेत्: should cause to melt/soften
• द्रावयेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु (धातु) [णिच्]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• भावयेत्: should gladden/please
• भावयेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) [णिच्]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• जनम्: people/person
• जनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Śaṅkara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrthas (general frame of Revā-khaṇḍa)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pious woman offers a gift with Nārāyaṇa-saṅkalpa to a serene Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa; her gentle touch (pāda-sevā) and sweet speech soften the surrounding people, who look inspired.

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa
• Viṣṇu
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion expressed through charity refines one’s presence—making one’s speech and conduct naturally uplifting to others.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa context situates the teaching within the pilgrimage-dharma of the Revā (Narmadā) sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dedicating the act to Nārāyaṇa and giving to a Viṣṇu-devoted Brāhmaṇa.