Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

जप्त्वा चैकाक्षरं ब्रह्म हृदि ध्यात्वा महेश्वरम् । स्नात्वा च मन्त्रपूताभिरथ चाद्भिर्जितव्रताः

Transliteration

japtvā caikākṣaraṃ brahma hṛdi dhyātvā maheśvaram | snātvā ca mantrapūtābhiratha cādbhirjitavratāḥ

Translation

ಏಕಾಕ್ಷರ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಬೀಜವನ್ನು ಜಪಿಸಿ, ಹೃದಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಹೇಶ್ವರನನ್ನು ಧ್ಯಾನಿಸಿ, ಮಂತ್ರಪೂತ ಜಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ನಾನಮಾಡಿ ಅವರು ಜಿತವ್ರತರು—ದೃಢವ್ರತಧಾರಿಗಳು—ಆದರು.

Word by Word

• जप्त्वा: having recited
• जप्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्तः (gerund): ‘having recited’

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

• एकाक्षरम्: single-syllabled
• एकाक्षरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयार्थः: ‘एकम् अक्षरम्’ = ‘single-syllabled’

• ब्रह्म: Brahman / the sacred syllable
• ब्रह्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; here: sacred syllable/mantra (e.g., oṃ)

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचनम्; ‘in the heart’

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated on
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्तः: ‘having meditated (upon)’

• महेश्वरम्: Maheshvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः: ‘महान् ईश्वरः’

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्तः: ‘having bathed’

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

• मन्त्रपूताभिः: with (waters) purified by mantra
• मन्त्रपूताभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पूत (पू (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (agreeing with ‘अद्भिः’ understood), तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः: ‘मन्त्रेण पूताः’ = ‘purified by mantra’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequencer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (particle/adverb): ‘then/thereupon’

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

• अद्भिः: with waters
• अद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/अद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (ap-शब्दः), तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; ‘with waters’

• जितव्रताः: those of disciplined vows
• जितव्रताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (जि (धातु)+क्त) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘जितं व्रतं यैः’ = ‘whose vows are mastered/observed’

Speaker

Narrator (describing the sages’ preparatory rites in the Revā Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ascetics stand at the riverbank in disciplined posture: some with closed eyes in heart-meditation, lips moving in japa; then they step into the water, sprinkling and bathing as if the water itself glows with mantra.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Ekākṣara (single-syllable mantra)
• Mantra
• Snāna (ritual bath)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity arises from a combined discipline of mantra-japa, inner meditation on Śiva, and sacred bathing—uniting yoga and tīrtha practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā waters as mantra-purified bathing waters within the Revā Khaṇḍa sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform ekākṣara-japa, meditate on Maheśvara in the heart, and undertake snāna in waters sanctified by mantra while observing vows.