Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 131

Devanagari script

दिगम्बरं गतव्रीडं जटिलं धूलिधूसरम् । पुण्यहीना न पश्यन्ति गङ्गाधरमिवात्मजम्

Transliteration

digambaraṃ gatavrīḍaṃ jaṭilaṃ dhūlidhūsaram | puṇyahīnā na paśyanti gaṅgādharamivātmajam

Translation

ദിഗംബരൻ, ലജ്ജയറ്റവൻ, ജടാധാരി, പൊടിയിൽ മങ്ങിയവൻ—ഗംഗാധരനായ ശിവനെപ്പോലെ സ്വന്തം മകനെയും പുണ്യമില്ലാത്തവർ കാണുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

• दिगम्बरम्: sky-clad (naked)
• दिगम्बरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘दिग् एव अम्बरम्’ इति (दिगम्बर = नग्न)

• गत-व्रीडम्: having lost shame
• गत-व्रीडम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त; √गम् (धातु)) + व्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (गत) विशेषण; ‘व्रीडा’ उपपदसम्बन्ध (व्रीडां गतः = लज्जारहितः)

• जटिलम्: matted-haired
• जटिलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धूलि-धूसरम्: dust-grey / dust-covered
• धूलि-धूसरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूलि (प्रातिपदिक) + धूसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘धूल्या धूसरः’ इति

• पुण्य-हीनाः: the meritless (people)
• पुण्य-हीनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √हा (धातु))
• Form: प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेष्य-लोपे संज्ञावत्

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• पश्यन्ति: see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• गङ्गा-धरम्: the bearer of Gaṅgā (Śiva)
• गङ्गा-धरम्: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √धृ (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘गङ्गां धरति’ इति (शिवः)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā (Comparison marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• आत्मजम्: one’s own son
• आत्मजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √जन् (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘आत्मनः जायते’ इति (पुत्रः)

Speaker

Narrator/elder voice using Śaiva imagery (exact speaker not specified in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha sphere (contextual) / Avanti Śaiva ambience

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wild-haired, sky-clad youth with matted locks and dust-grey body stands like a young ascetic; behind him a faint silhouette of Śiva as Gaṅgādhara mirrors his form; onlookers avert their eyes, symbolizing ‘puṇya-hīna’.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgādhara (Śiva)
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It links life’s blessings to puṇya and evokes Śaiva symbolism, suggesting that even ordinary family life can mirror sacred forms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it remains within the Revā-khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.