Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

परमं व्रतमास्थाय गुहावासी समार्बुदम् । तपश्चचार भगवाञ्जपस्नानरतः सदा

Transliteration

paramaṃ vratamāsthāya guhāvāsī samārbudam | tapaścacāra bhagavāñjapasnānarataḥ sadā

Translation

Ayant pris le vœu suprême, demeurant dans une grotte à Arbuda, le Seigneur Bienheureux accomplit l’ascèse, toujours adonné au japa et au bain sacré.

Word by Word

• परमम्: supreme, highest
• परमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (neuter, accusative singular; adjective)

• व्रतम्: vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular)

• आस्थाय: having undertaken
• आस्थाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having undertaken)

• गुहावासी: a cave-dweller
• गुहावासी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गुहायां वासी) (masc., nominative singular)

• समार्बुदम्: for a full arbuda (a vast period)
• समार्बुदम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + अर्बुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; काल-परिमाणवाचक (neuter, accusative singular; a period/measure)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular)

• चचार: performed, practiced
• चचार: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (3rd person singular perfect)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masc., nominative singular)

• जपस्नानरतः: engaged in recitation and bathing
• जपस्नानरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप + स्नान + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार/द्वन्द्वपूर्वक तत्पुरुष (जपे स्नाने च रतः) (masc., nominative singular; engaged in japa and bathing)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of time)

Speaker

Narrator (contextually within Revā Khaṇḍa narration; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-tapas-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍava (implied by later vocative in the passage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cave on Arbuda: the Lord seated in yogic stillness, matted locks, rudrākṣa, water-pot nearby; a small spring or ritual bathing pool; subtle aura indicating sustained japa and tapas.

Characters & Entities

• Arbuda (Mount Abu/Arbuda)
• Vratam
• Tapas
• Japa
• Snāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha journey culminates in disciplined sādhana—vows, austerity, mantra-recitation, and purification practices.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Arbuda (Mount Arbuda, traditionally identified with Mount Abu) is highlighted as a setting for cave-dwelling austerities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Paramavrata with sustained tapas: regular japa (mantra repetition) and snāna (ritual bathing).