Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

योगाभ्यासरताः केचित्केचिद्ध्यायन्ति तत्पदम् । शीर्णपर्णाशिनः केचित्केचिच्च कटुकाशनाः

Transliteration

yogābhyāsaratāḥ kecitkeciddhyāyanti tatpadam | śīrṇaparṇāśinaḥ kecitkecicca kaṭukāśanāḥ

Translation

Les uns étaient absorbés dans la pratique assidue du yoga ; d’autres méditaient sur cette Demeure suprême. Certains se nourrissaient de feuilles desséchées, d’autres d’une nourriture amère ; ainsi demeuraient-ils, dans la sainte contrée, sous la règle de l’ascèse.

Word by Word

• योगाभ्यासरताः: engaged in yoga practice
• योगाभ्यासरताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग + अभ्यास + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण—योग-अभ्यास-रत (engaged in the practice of yoga)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• ध्यायन्ति: meditate
• ध्यायन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पदम्: state/abode/goal
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शीर्णपर्णाशिनः: eaters of withered leaves
• शीर्णपर्णाशिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीर्ण (कृदन्त; √शॄ/शॢ ‘to decay’ क्त) + पर्ण + अशन्/अश (धातु) + इन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण—शीर्ण-पर्ण-आशिन् (eating withered leaves)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कटुकाशनाः: eaters of pungent food
• कटुकाशनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कटु + आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण—कटु-आशन (eating pungent/bitter food)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration; likely Sūta-style voice within Revākhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Meditating ascetics on the Narmadā bank: some in yogic posture with half-closed eyes, some contemplating the ‘supreme abode’; nearby, simple leaf-bundles and bitter herbs indicate austere diet; the landscape feels quiet, luminous, and inward-turning.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True attainment is supported by disciplined practice—yoga, meditation, and austerity—especially when undertaken in a sanctified tīrtha environment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā/Revā region) setting is implied; the verse depicts ascetics whose practices gain special force in such sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed; the emphasis is on ascetic observance—meditation, yogic practice, and austere diet.