Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

गच्छमानास्तु ते चोक्ताः पञ्चमेऽहनि तापसाः । आगन्तव्यं भवद्भिश्च मत्सकाशं प्रतिज्ञया

Transliteration

gacchamānāstu te coktāḥ pañcame'hani tāpasāḥ | āgantavyaṃ bhavadbhiśca matsakāśaṃ pratijñayā

Translation

彼らが立ち去ろうとすると、苦行者は告げた。「第五の日、汝らは厳粛なる誓いにより、必ず我がもとへ戻るべし。」

Word by Word

• गच्छमानाः: going, proceeding
• गच्छमानाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गच्छत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• उक्ताः: were told, were addressed
• उक्ताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘were told/said’

• पञ्चमे: on the fifth
• पञ्चमे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रमवाचक विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘on the fifth’

• अहनि: on the day
• अहनि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तापसाः: ascetics
• तापसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• आगन्तव्यम्: must come, should come
• आगन्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + आ-उपसर्ग → आगन्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त भाव्य/कर्तव्यताबोधक कृदन्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘must be come/should come’

• भवद्भिः: by you (all)
• भवद्भिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मत्सकाशम्: to my presence, near me
• मत्सकाशम्: Gati/Adhikarana (Goal/Place)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + सकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास (genitive determinative): मत्+सकाश; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रतिज्ञया: by (your) promise
• प्रतिज्ञया: Hetu (Cause/Means/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Māṇḍavya Ṛṣi (implied instructor addressing the sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) kṣetra context

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tapasvī addresses departing sages, raising a hand in injunction; the group turns back respectfully, the air charged with vow and time-counting (the ‘fifth day’).

Characters & Entities

• Māṇḍavya
• tāpasāḥ (ascetics)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Keeping one’s promise (pratijñā) is a core pillar of dharma; even sages bind themselves to truth and timely duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the focus is on ethical discipline within the Revā Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A time-bound observance is implied: return on the fifth day, indicating scheduled participation in an unfolding rite or duty.