Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ततः स्मार्तं विवाहाग्निं श्रौतं वा पूजयेत्क्रमात् । प्रतिग्रहधनो भूत्वा दम्भलोभविवर्जितः

Transliteration

tataḥ smārtaṃ vivāhāgniṃ śrautaṃ vā pūjayetkramāt | pratigrahadhano bhūtvā dambhalobhavivarjitaḥ

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം അവൻ ക്രമമായി സ്മാർത്തവിധിയിലെ വിവാഹാഗ്നിയെയോ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ശ്രൗതാഗ്നിയെയുമോ യഥാവിധി പൂജിക്കണം; പ്രതിഗ്രഹമായി ലഭിക്കുന്ന ധനത്തിൽ ജീവിച്ചാലും, ദംഭവും ലോഭവും വിട്ടിരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (thereafter)

• स्मार्तम्: smārta (based on smṛti)
• स्मार्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मार्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• विवाह-अग्निम्: the marriage fire
• विवाह-अग्निम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रौतम्: śrauta (based on śruti)
• श्रौतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रौत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

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

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• क्रमात्: in order, gradually
• क्रमात्: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन रूपेण अव्ययीभूत (Ablative used adverbially); क्रियाविशेषण (in due order)

• प्रतिग्रह-धनः: having wealth from gifts/acceptance
• प्रतिग्रह-धनः: Karta-anvaya (Subject attribute/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (धनवान् अर्थे)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• दम्भ-लोभ-विवर्जितः: free from hypocrisy and greed
• दम्भ-लोभ-विवर्जितः: Karta-anvaya (Subject attribute/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दम्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + लोभ (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (वर्ज् धातोः वि-उपसर्ग + क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā context (general)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A gṛhastha brāhmaṇa tending the sacred fire with ladle and offerings; a donor offers alms; the brāhmaṇa’s demeanor is humble, free of ostentation.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Smārta
• Śrauta
• Agni

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual life must be joined to moral purity: worship of sacred fire is upheld, while greed and show are rejected.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly praised; the verse focuses on household ritual discipline within the Revā Khaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular honoring of the vivāhāgni (Smārta) and/or Śrauta fire in due order, alongside ethical restraint.