Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

यमोऽपि विलिखन्भूमिं दण्डेनास्तमितत्विषा । कुरुतेऽस्मिन्नमोघोऽपि निर्वाणालातलाघवम्

Transliteration

yamo'pi vilikhanbhūmiṃ daṇḍenāstamitatviṣā | kurute'sminnamogho'pi nirvāṇālātalāghavam

Translation

Même Yama, grattant la terre de son bâton au lustre éteint, fait paraître légère sa verge pourtant infaillible, tel un tison dont le feu s’est éteint.

Word by Word

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षाबोधक-अव्यय (also/even)

• विलिखन्: scratching, inscribing
• विलिखन्: Karta (Participial predicate of यमः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लिख् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; present participle (scratching)

• भूमिम्: the ground
• भूमिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• दण्डेन: with (his) staff
• दण्डेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• अस्तमितत्विषा: with dimmed radiance
• अस्तमितत्विषा: Visheshana (Qualifier of यमः/दण्डेन context)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्तमित (कृदन्त, √अस्-तम्/अस्तम्+√इ) + त्विष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अस्तमिता त्विष् यस्य/या) used as instrumental qualifier (with dimmed splendor)

• कुरुते: does, makes
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• अस्मिन्: in this (matter/place)
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative (in this)

• अमोघः: the unfailing one
• अमोघः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमोघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (even/also)

• निर्वाणालातलाघवम्: the lightness of an extinguished firebrand
• निर्वाणालातलाघवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक) + अलात (प्रातिपदिक) + लाघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (निर्वाणस्य अलातस्य लाघवम् / extinguished-firebrand-lightness)

Speaker

Brahmā (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) region context

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yama, dark-hued and regal, stands with a staff scraping the earth; his staff’s glow is faded, resembling a burnt-out firebrand. The ground bears faint lines from scraping, suggesting uncertainty and loss of command.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When order declines, even the instruments of justice appear powerless—renewal of dharma restores rightful authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred geography is specified in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.