Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

कायेन कृच्छ्रचरणे ह्यशक्तानां विशुद्धये । ज्ञात्वा तीर्थाविशेषं हि प्रायश्चित्तं समाचरेत्

Transliteration

kāyena kṛcchracaraṇe hyaśaktānāṃ viśuddhaye | jñātvā tīrthāviśeṣaṃ hi prāyaścittaṃ samācaret

Translation

જે લોકો શરીરે કઠોર કૃચ્છ્રતપ કરવા અસમર્થ હોય, તેઓ તીર્થની વિશેષ મહિમા જાણીને વિધિપૂર્વક પ્રાયશ્ચિત્ત આચરે; તેથી શુદ્ધિ થાય છે.

Word by Word

• कायेन: by the body
• कायेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

• कृच्छ्रचरणे: in the difficult observance/practice
• कृच्छ्रचरणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र-चरण (प्रातिपदिक; कृच्छ्र + चरण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• अशक्तानाम्: of the incapable (persons)
• अशक्तानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• विशुद्धये: for purification
• विशुद्धये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/Dative), एकवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• तीर्थाविशेषम्: the distinction/specificity of the tīrtha
• तीर्थाविशेषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-अविशेष (प्रातिपदिक; तीर्थ + अविशेष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• प्रायश्चित्तम्: expiation
• प्रायश्चित्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• समाचरेत्: should perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā tīrthas (general)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A weary pilgrim, unable to undertake harsh penance, receives instruction that tīrtha-knowledge and proper expiation at a sacred ford grants purification; the river is implied as the compassionate purifier.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma provides compassionate pathways: when harsh penance is impossible, tīrtha-based expiation can purify.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse highlights tīrtha-viśeṣa in general, preparing for the Narmadā-centered instruction that follows.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform prāyaścitta suited to one’s capacity, guided by the recognized special efficacy of the tīrtha.