Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

रक्तं वा पीतवर्णं वा सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम् । कुङ्कुमेन विलिप्ताङ्गावग्रजन्महयावपि

Transliteration

raktaṃ vā pītavarṇaṃ vā sarvalakṣaṇasaṃyutam | kuṅkumena viliptāṅgāvagrajanmahayāvapi

Translation

ದಾನಾರ್ಥ ಅಶ್ವವು ಕೆಂಪು ಅಥವಾ ಹಳದಿ ವರ್ಣದಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಎಲ್ಲ ಶುಭಲಕ್ಷಣಗಳಿಂದ ಯುಕ್ತವಾಗಿರಲಿ. ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಅಗ್ರಜನ್ಮ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣನೂ ಅಶ್ವವೂ—ಇಬ್ಬರ ಅಂಗಗಳಿಗೂ ಕುಂಕುಮ ಲೇಪನ ಮಾಡಲಿ.

Word by Word

• रक्तम्: red
• रक्तम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (हयम्—पूर्वश्लोकान्वय)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

• पीतवर्णम्: yellow-colored
• पीतवर्णम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (पीतः वर्णः यस्य = yellow-colored)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात

• सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्: endowed with all auspicious marks
• सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-लक्षण + संयुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √युज् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्वैः लक्षणैः संयुतः = endowed with all marks)

• कुङ्कुमेन: with saffron
• कुङ्कुमेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• विलिप्ताङ्गौ: having limbs smeared
• विलिप्ताङ्गौ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-लिप्त + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक); विलिप्त (कृदन्त; √लिप् + क्त) + अङ्ग
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (Dual); बहुव्रीहि (विलिप्तानि अङ्गानि यस्य = whose limbs are smeared)

• अग्रजन्महयौ: the two horses for the first-born/elder
• अग्रजन्महयौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र-जन्मन् + हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अग्रजन्मनः हयः = horse for the first-born/elder)

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

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Revā Khaṇḍa instructional passage)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A red or yellow-hued horse (or with red/yellow adornment) stands decorated; the brāhmaṇa and horse are anointed with saffron paste, signaling auspicious consecration before donation.

Characters & Entities

• Bhāskara (Sun)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual purity and auspicious preparation—marking devotees and offerings with sacred substances—supports dharmic worship at a tīrtha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha tradition within the Revā Khaṇḍa of the Āvantya Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Using red or yellow auspicious items and anointing with kuṅkuma (saffron/vermilion) as part of the rite.