Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

स्वेच्छाचारो भवेर्वत्स स्वर्गे पातालगोचरे । मर्त्ये वा भ्रम वै योगिन्न केनापि निवार्यसे

Transliteration

svecchācāro bhavervatsa svarge pātālagocare | martye vā bhrama vai yoginna kenāpi nivāryase

Translation

“Wahai anak terkasih, engkau akan bertindak menurut kehendakmu sendiri, bergerak di surga maupun di wilayah Pātāla. Mengembaralah pula di dunia fana, wahai yogin—tiada seorang pun dapat menghalangimu.”

Word by Word

• स्वेच्छाचारः: free conduct (as per one’s will)
• स्वेच्छाचारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (स्वेच्छा-आचारः = one’s own-will conduct)

• भवेः: be
• भवेः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; वैदिक/आर्ष रूप ‘भवेः’ (be!)

• वत्स: O dear child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• पातालगोचरे: in the region of Pātāla
• पातालगोचरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पाताल-गोचर’ = in the realm/reach of Pātāla; स्वर्गे इति सह समुच्चित अधिकरण

• मर्त्ये: in the mortal world
• मर्त्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle: or)

• भ्रम: wander
• भ्रम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/अवधानार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• योगिन्: O yogin
• योगिन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• केनापि: by anyone
• केनापि: Karana (Agent/instrument in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘अपि’ सह अनिश्चितार्थ (by anyone)

• निवार्यसे: you are prevented/restrained
• निवार्यसे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√वृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (you are restrained)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva grants Nārada the boon of unhindered wandering through heaven, underworld, and earth; imagery of three realms subtly layered behind the figures.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Nārada
• Svarga
• Pātāla
• Martya-loka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When granted by the Lord, spiritual freedom becomes a dharmic instrument—unobstructed movement used to spread devotion and right counsel.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; it is part of the same Revā Khaṇḍa sequence that culminates in a celebrated tīrtha’s establishment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse records a boon of unobstructed movement rather than a prescribed rite.