Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

वेदविद्याश्रयो धीमाञ्जायते विमले कुले । रूपसौभाग्यसम्पन्नः सर्वव्याधिविवर्जितः । जीवेद्वर्षशतं साग्रमहल्यातीर्थसेवनात्

Transliteration

vedavidyāśrayo dhīmāñjāyate vimale kule | rūpasaubhāgyasampannaḥ sarvavyādhivivarjitaḥ | jīvedvarṣaśataṃ sāgramahalyātīrthasevanāt

Translation

അഹല്യാ-തീർത്ഥസേവനത്താൽ മനുഷ്യൻ വിമലകുലത്തിൽ ധീമാനായി, വേദവിദ്യാശ്രയനായി ജനിക്കുന്നു; രൂപസൗഭാഗ്യസമ്പന്നനായി, സർവ്വവ്യാധിവിവർജിതനായി, നൂറുവർഷത്തിലധികം ജീവിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• वेदविद्याश्रयः: one who is a refuge/support of Vedic learning
• वेदविद्याश्रयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + विद्या + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदविद्ययोः आश्रयः = refuge/support of Veda and learning)

• धीमान्: intelligent (man)
• धीमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेष्य-समनाधिकरणम् (with implied person)

• जायते: is born/arises
• जायते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• विमले: in a pure
• विमले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; 'कुले' इति विशेषणम्

• कुले: in a family/lineage
• कुले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• रूपसौभाग्यसम्पन्नः: endowed with beauty and good fortune
• रूपसौभाग्यसम्पन्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप + सौभाग्य + सम्पन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (रूपेण सौभाग्येन च सम्पन्नः = endowed with beauty and good fortune)

• सर्वव्याधिविवर्जितः: free from all diseases
• सर्वव्याधिविवर्जितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + व्याधि + विवर्जित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (सर्वेभ्यः व्याधिभ्यः विवर्जितः = free from all diseases)

• जीवेत्: may live
• जीवेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वर्षशतम्: a hundred years
• वर्षशतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (शतं वर्षाणि = a hundred years)

• साग्रम्: and more (over and above)
• साग्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'वर्षशतम्' इति विशेषणम् (साग्रम् = with an excess/over and above)

• अहल्यातीर्थसेवनात्: from (the merit of) visiting/serving Ahalyā-tīrtha
• अहल्यातीर्थसेवनात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Ablative/हेतु-अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहल्या + तीर्थ + सेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अहल्यायाḥ तीर्थस्य सेवनम् = service/visiting of Ahalyā-tīrtha)

Speaker

Deductive: Purāṇic narrator within Revā Khaṇḍa (likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa conveying the Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ahalyā-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim couple or solitary sādhaka reverently serving a serene riverside tīrtha—offering water, flowers, and lamps—while the Narmadā flows; the atmosphere suggests purity, health, and auspicious destiny.

Characters & Entities

• Ahalyā-tīrtha
• Veda
• Vedic learning

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving a revered tīrtha refines karma into tangible dharmic blessings—good birth, learning, health, and longevity—supporting a life oriented to the Veda.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ahalyā-tīrtha (associated with Ahalyeśvara) in the Revā/Narmadā sacred landscape of the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ahalyā-tīrtha-sevā—regular attendance/service (including implied snāna and Śiva-pūjā from earlier verses).