Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

लंबतेऽवाक्छिरा यस्तु युगानामयुतं पुमान् । स्नातानां शुचिभिस्तोयैः संगमे प्रयतात्मनाम्

Transliteration

laṃbate'vākchirā yastu yugānāmayutaṃ pumān | snātānāṃ śucibhistoyaiḥ saṃgame prayatātmanām

Translation

Quand bien même un homme demeurerait suspendu la tête en bas durant dix mille yuga, il ne dépasserait pas le mérite lié aux eaux pures de ceux qui, l’âme maîtrisée, se sont baignés au confluent.

Word by Word

• लंबते: hangs
• लंबते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लम्ब् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्

• अवाक्छिराः: with head downward
• अवाक्छिराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवाक् + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (अवाक् शिरो यस्य सः)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सूचक

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अन्वय-अव्यय (indeed/but)

• युगानाम्: of yugas
• युगानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• अयुतम्: ten thousand
• अयुतम्: Karma (Extent/परिमाण-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (ten-thousand)

• पुमान्: a man
• पुमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्नातानाम्: of those who have bathed
• स्नातानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नात (कृदन्त; √स्ना (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘प्रयतात्मनाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण-सम्बन्धः सम्भवः

• शुचिभिः: pure
• शुचिभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘तोयैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तोयैः: with waters
• तोयैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• संगमे: at the confluence
• संगमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्रयतात्मनाम्: of the self-controlled (devout) persons
• प्रयतात्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (प्रयतः आत्मा येषाम्)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced: Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-saṅgama (śuci-toya-mahimā)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims (general)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ascetic hangs upside down (avāk-śiras) in severe penance, while at the saṅgama disciplined devotees bathe; the water is depicted luminous, as if carrying the ‘śuci’ of their intention.

Characters & Entities

• Saṅgama
• Prayata-ātmans (disciplined devotees)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity, restraint, and sacred-place observance can outweigh extreme bodily mortifications; tīrtha practice is framed as compassionate dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The saṅgama (confluence) tīrtha in Ayodhyā, whose waters sanctify disciplined bathers.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna at the saṅgama with purity and self-restraint (prayatātman), highlighted as superior to severe upside-down austerity.