Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

जप्तान्यखिलमंत्राणि ध्याताः सकलदेवताः । महाव्रतानि चीर्णानि पर्णमूलफलाशिना

Transliteration

japtānyakhilamaṃtrāṇi dhyātāḥ sakaladevatāḥ | mahāvratāni cīrṇāni parṇamūlaphalāśinā

Translation

J’ai récité toutes sortes de mantras ; j’ai médité sur toutes les divinités. J’ai accompli de grands vœux, ne vivant que de feuilles, de racines et de fruits.

Word by Word

• japtāni: recited
• japtāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jap (धातु) → japta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; adjectival to ‘mantrāṇi’

• akhila: all, entire
• akhila: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; used as prior member in compound

• mantrāṇi: mantras
• mantrāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• dhyātāḥ: meditated upon
• dhyātāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyai (धातु) → dhyāta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; agrees with ‘devatāḥ’

• sakala: all
• sakala: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; used as prior member in compound

• devatāḥ: deities
• devatāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• mahā: great
• mahā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; used as prior member in compound

• vratāni: vows, observances
• vratāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• cīrṇāni: performed, observed
• cīrṇāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: car (धातु) → cīrṇa (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; agrees with ‘vratāni’

• parṇa-mūla-phala-āśinā: by one who eats leaves, roots, and fruits
• parṇa-mūla-phala-āśinā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + āśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; ‘parṇamūlaphalāśin’ = parṇa-mūla-phalaṃ aśnāti iti), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental of means/condition

Speaker

Unnamed petitioner/king (addressing Gautama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ascetic recounts his long austerities—japa, meditation on many deities, and severe vows—living on leaves, roots, and fruits, in a quiet forest hermitage.

Characters & Entities

• Gautama
• Devatāḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External austerities—japa, meditation, and severe vows—are powerful, yet they may still be incomplete without true refuge and right guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is explicitly named in this verse; the focus is on tapas (austerity) as a preparatory dharmic effort.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of japa (mantra-recitation), dhyāna (meditation), and mahā-vrata (great vows), including a strict diet of leaves, roots, and fruits.