Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अवज्ञां कुरुषे देव किमत्र नियमान्विते । सर्वस्य दत्से शीघ्रं त्वमल्पेन तपसा विभो

Transliteration

avajñāṃ kuruṣe deva kimatra niyamānvite | sarvasya datse śīghraṃ tvamalpena tapasā vibho

Translation

«Ô Dieu, pourquoi le méprises-tu ici, alors qu’il demeure ferme dans ses observances ? Ô Tout-Puissant, pour une faible austérité tu accordes vite des grâces à tous.»

Word by Word

• अवज्ञाम्: disrespect, contempt
• अवज्ञाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• कुरुषे: you do, you show
• कुरुषे: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (Present Indicative, 2nd person, Singular, Ātmanepada)

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter pronoun, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable adverb of place)

• नियम-अन्विते: O one endowed with observances
• नियम-अन्विते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नियमेन अन्वितः/अन्विता), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन (Tatpuruṣa compound; Feminine, Vocative, Singular)

• सर्वस्य: of all
• सर्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive, Singular)

• दत्से: you give
• दत्से: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (Present Indicative, 2nd person, Singular, Ātmanepada)

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुषार्थे सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Pronoun, Nominative, Singular)

• अल्पेन: with little
• अल्पेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental, Singular)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)

• विभो: O mighty one
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular)

Speaker

Umā (contextual continuation; not explicit in the verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā tīrthas)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Umā questions Śiva’s apparent disregard: a compassionate goddess confronting the paradox of a strict observer not receiving immediate grace.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Vibhu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse contrasts divine generosity with apparent delay, prompting reflection on grace, timing, and the depth of discipline (niyama) behind boons.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the emphasis is on divine response to tapas rather than a location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Niyama (religious observances) and tapas are referenced as disciplines, but no particular vow or ritual procedure is detailed.