Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

शुक्लाम्बरधरो नित्यं नियतः स जितेन्द्रियः । एककालं तु भुञ्जानो मासं तीर्थस्य सन्निधौ

Transliteration

śuklāmbaradharo nityaṃ niyataḥ sa jitendriyaḥ | ekakālaṃ tu bhuñjāno māsaṃ tīrthasya sannidhau

Translation

നിത്യവും ശ്വേതവസ്ത്രം ധരിച്ചു, നിയമനിഷ്ഠനും ജിതേന്ദ്രിയനും ആയി, ഒരിക്കൽ മാത്രം ആഹാരം കഴിച്ച്—തീർത്ഥസന്നിധിയിൽ ഒരു മാസം വസിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• śukla-ambara-dharaḥ: wearing white garments
• śukla-ambara-dharaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + ambara (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √dhṛ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विशेष्यः: स)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• niyataḥ: disciplined, restrained
• niyataḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √yam धातु; नि-यम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• jita-indriyaḥ: having conquered the senses
• jita-indriyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √ji धातु) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कर्मधारय-भावः: जितानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य)

• eka-kālam: once a day (at one time)
• eka-kālam: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• bhuñjānaḥ: eating
• bhuñjānaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (भुज् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• māsam: for a month
• māsam: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (duration)

• tīrthasya: of the sacred ford/place
• tīrthasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• sannidhau: in the vicinity/presence
• sannidhau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sannidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (unspecified ford in context)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciplined pilgrim in white garments sits near a river-ford, calm and self-controlled, with a small water-pot and minimal belongings, observing a month-long vow with one daily meal.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha (Agnitīrtha context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification is strengthened by disciplined living; tīrtha-sevā is not only travel but sustained vrata-like conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha in the immediate chapter context (Agnitīrtha/Revā Khaṇḍa sacred waters).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-vāsa for a month with niyamas: white garments, self-restraint, and ekakāla-bhojana (one meal a day).