Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

केचिद्धूमकमश्नन्ति तपस्युग्रे व्यवस्थिताः । आत्मयज्ञरताः केचिदपरे भक्तिभागिनः

Transliteration

keciddhūmakamaśnanti tapasyugre vyavasthitāḥ | ātmayajñaratāḥ kecidapare bhaktibhāginaḥ

Translation

ചിലർ ഉഗ്രതപസ്സിൽ സ്ഥിരരായി ‘ധൂമക’ എന്നു വിളിക്കുന്ന ആഹാരം മാത്രം കഴിക്കുന്നു. ചിലർ ആത്മയജ്ഞം (അന്തര്യാഗം) ആസ്വദിക്കുന്നു; മറ്റുള്ളവർ ഭക്തിഭാഗ്യർ ആയി ഭക്തിയിൽ ലീനരാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘some’, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• धूमकम्: smoke/soot (as food)
• धूमकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूमक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• अश्नन्ति: eat
• अश्नन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद — Present, 3rd person, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तपसि: in austerity
• तपसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• उग्रे: severe
• उग्रे: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Neuter, Locative, Singular (तपसि इति विशेषण)

• व्यवस्थिताः: steadfast, established
• व्यवस्थिताः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Past participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आत्मयज्ञरताः: devoted to the inner/self-sacrifice
• आत्मयज्ञरताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् + यज्ञ + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; ‘devoted to self-sacrifice/inner sacrifice’

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘some’, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भक्तिभागिनः: partakers of devotion
• भक्तिभागिनः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति + भागिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; ‘having a share in devotion’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā-tīra (Revākhaṇḍa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the Narmadā bank, different ascetics: one living on ‘smoke-food’ near a smoldering fire, another seated in meditation symbolizing ātma-yajña, and devotees offering flowers with folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• Tapas
• Ātma-yajña
• Bhakti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Multiple disciplines—severe tapas, inner self-sacrifice, and bhakti—are all honored as valid paths when rooted in sincerity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Narmadā tīra (riverbanks), depicted as a refuge for diverse sādhakas and ascetics.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single prescription is commanded; the verse lists ascetic observances such as dhūmaka-subsistence and ātma-yajña.