Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

वेदिमध्यगतं वापि महदासनसंस्थितम् । सुरूपं सुभगं शान्तं सर्वभूतहिते रतम्

Transliteration

vedimadhyagataṃ vāpi mahadāsanasaṃsthitam | surūpaṃ subhagaṃ śāntaṃ sarvabhūtahite ratam

Translation

(Undang dan dudukkan brāhmaṇa itu) di tengah vedi atau di atas singgasana yang agung—berparas elok, berwibawa, tenteram, dan tekun demi kesejahteraan semua makhluk.

Word by Word

• वेदिमध्यगतम्: gone to/placed in the middle of the altar
• वेदिमध्यगतम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदी (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त; √गम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — qualifying विप्रम् (understood); समासः (तत्पुरुष): वेद्याः मध्ये गतः

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात — disjunctive particle (‘or’)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात — particle (‘also/even’)

• महत्: great; large
• महत्: Karma (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — qualifying आसनम् (in compound)

• आसनसंस्थितम्: seated on a (great) seat
• आसनसंस्थितम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु, क्त, उपसर्ग सम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — ‘seated/placed on a seat’; समासः (तत्पुरुष)

• सुरूपम्: handsome; well-formed
• सुरूपम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — qualifying (him)

• सुभगम्: fortunate; auspicious
• सुभगम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुभग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — qualifying (him)

• शान्तम्: calm; peaceful
• शान्तम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त; √शम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — qualifying (him)

• सर्वभूतहिते: in the welfare of all beings
• सर्वभूतहिते: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण); एकवचन — ‘in the welfare of all beings’; समासः (तत्पुरुष)

• रतम्: devoted; engaged
• रतम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (कृदन्त; √रम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — ‘delighting/engaged’; qualifying (him)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha milieu

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍunandana (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene moment: the honored brāhmaṇa is seated at the center of the altar or on a large seat, composed and benevolent; attendants stand respectfully with folded hands; the altar is orderly and luminous.

Characters & Entities

• Vedi (altar)
• Vipra (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True religious authority is marked by peace and universal benevolence; such persons deserve central honor in ritual.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Revā-khaṇḍa milieu; it does not specify a single named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Seat the honored brāhmaṇa either at the center of the altar-space or on a prominent seat.