Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

मोक्षावाप्तिर्भवेद्येषां नियमैश्च पृथग्विधैः । दशद्वादशभिर्वापि षड्भिरष्टाभिरेव वा

Transliteration

mokṣāvāptirbhavedyeṣāṃ niyamaiśca pṛthagvidhaiḥ | daśadvādaśabhirvāpi ṣaḍbhiraṣṭābhireva vā

Translation

വിവിധവിധമായ നിയമായങ്ങൾ അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുന്നവർക്ക് മോക്ഷപ്രാപ്തി സാധ്യമാകുന്നു—പത്ത് ആയാലും, പന്ത്രണ്ട് ആയാലും, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ആറോ എട്ടോ ആയാലും.

Word by Word

• मोक्ष-अवाप्तिः: attainment of liberation
• मोक्ष-अवाप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अवाप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be / may occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-यत्

• नियमैः: by observances
• नियमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पृथक्-विधैः: of various kinds
• पृथक्-विधैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोग) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of different kinds)

• दश-द्वादशभिः: by ten or twelve (rules)
• दश-द्वादशभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (संख्याशब्द-समाहार), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• षड्भिः: by six
• षड्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (संख्याशब्द-समाहार), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अष्टाभिः: by eight
• अष्टाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (संख्याशब्द-समाहार), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira (continuing inquiry framing the topic)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-sage enumerates observances on fingers or with counting beads; behind, disciples sit in attentive rows, suggesting multiple structured paths converging on mokṣa.

Characters & Entities

• Moksha
• Niyama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation is presented as accessible through structured discipline; different sets of observances can be efficacious.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named in the verse; the discussion remains within Revā Khaṇḍa’s Narmadā-centered context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Following a defined set of niyamas—enumerated as 6, 8, 10, or 12 observances.