Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

चरितं च त्वया लोके देवदानवदुश्चरम् । वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते यत्ते मनसि रोचते

Transliteration

caritaṃ ca tvayā loke devadānavaduścaram | varaṃ vṛṇīṣva bhadraṃ te yatte manasi rocate

Translation

നീ ഈ ലോകത്തിൽ ദേവന്മാർക്കും ദാനവന്മാർക്കും പോലും ദുഷ്കരമായ മഹാകൃത്യം നിർവഹിച്ചു. അതിനാൽ വരം തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുക—നിനക്കു മംഗളം വരട്ടെ—ഹൃദയം ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നതു തന്നെ.

Word by Word

• चरितम्: deed, exploit
• चरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (कृदन्त; √चर् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृत् (क्त) ‘चरित’ = done/acted

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

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/त्रिलिङ्ग-सर्वनाम, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular)

• देवदानवदुश्चरम्: hard even for gods and demons
• देवदानवदुश्चरम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव + दानव + दुश्चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—देवदानवयोः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + दुश्चरम् (कर्मधारय-भाव) = ‘देवदानवदुश्चरम्’

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• वृणीष्व: choose (you)
• वृणीष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भद्रम्: good fortune
• भद्रम्: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Benediction/आशीः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; आशीर्वादार्थक प्रयोग

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन (genitive/dative singular)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative)

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (genitive singular)

• मनसि: in (your) mind
• मनसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular)

• रोचते: pleases, is desired
• रोचते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Īśvara / Maheśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā tīrthas)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kambu (Dānava)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A deity (Īśvara/Śaṅkara) acknowledges a formidable feat and invites the petitioner to choose a boon; the setting suggests a sacred riverside or tīrtha grove.

Characters & Entities

• Kambu
• Deva
• Dānava
• Maheśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Extraordinary discipline draws divine favor; when the Lord is pleased, he authorizes the devotee’s chosen aim.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā setting remains the implied tīrtha backdrop for the tapas that earned the boon.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new ritual is prescribed; this verse formalizes boon-selection (vara-vṛṇīṣva) after completed austerity.