Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

कृच्छ्रचान्द्रायणादीनि व्रतानि च तिलैरपि । तिलादत्वमनुप्राप्तो ह्यब्दद्वासप्ततिं क्रमात्

Transliteration

kṛcchracāndrāyaṇādīni vratāni ca tilairapi | tilādatvamanuprāpto hyabdadvāsaptatiṃ kramāt

Translation

彼は胡麻（ティラ）を支えとして、クṛッチラ（Kṛcchra）やチャンドラーヤナ（Cāndrāyaṇa）などの誓戒をも修し、やがて七十二年の歳月を重ねて「胡麻そのもの」ともいうべき境地——ティラへの全き献身——に到達した。

Word by Word

• कृच्छ्रचान्द्रायणादीनि: (vows) such as Kṛcchra and Cāndrāyaṇa
• कृच्छ्रचान्द्रायणादीनि: Karma (Qualifier of object/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक) + चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषणम्; समासः: कृच्छ्र-चान्द्रायण-आदि (समुच्चय/द्वन्द्व-प्राय)

• व्रतानि: vows; observances
• व्रतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

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

• तिलैः: with sesame (seeds)
• तिलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (plural)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• तिलादत्वम्: the state/nature of sesame (tilatva)
• तिलादत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: तिलानाम् आदत्वम् (तिलत्वम्/तिलभावः)

• अनुप्राप्तः: attained; reached
• अनुप्राप्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; धातु: आप्, उपसर्ग: अनु-प्र; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘प्राप्तवान्’

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

• अब्दद्वासप्ततिम्: seventy-two years
• अब्दद्वासप्ततिम्: Karma (Measure/extent as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वा (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + सप्तति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); द्विगु-समासः: द्वा + सप्तति = द्वासप्तति (72); अब्दानां द्वासप्ततिः = अब्दद्वासप्ततिः

• क्रमात्: gradually; in due order
• क्रमात्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb), अर्थ: ‘क्रमेण/अनुक्रमेण’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual deduction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-bank tapas-kṣetra (Aṇivāpa-anta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A time-lapse depiction: the ascetic remains by the river through changing seasons and years, performing cāndrāyaṇa (waxing/waning lunar measure) and kṛcchra austerities, with sesame as constant support; the number ‘72 years’ suggested via symbolic markers (rings on a tree, repeated moons).

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Long-term, disciplined vrata practice—especially when tied to a sacred substance and place—ripens into profound purity and spiritual identity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa’s sacred geography around the Revā (Narmadā), culminating in the Tilādeśvara tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of Kṛcchra and Cāndrāyaṇa-type vows, maintained with sesame-based regimen over many years.