Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 31
Devanagari script
द्विजवर्य कथं चेष्टा दश यज्ञा महाधनाः
Transliteration
dvijavarya kathaṃ ceṣṭā daśa yajñā mahādhanāḥ
Translation
“ഹേ ദ്വിജശ്രേഷ്ഠാ, എങ്ങനെ സാധിച്ചു—ഈ പത്ത് മഹാധനസാധ്യമായ യജ്ഞങ്ങൾ?”
Word by Word
dvija-varyaO best of brāhmaṇas
dvija-varya:
Sambodhana (Address)
TypeNoun
Rootdvija (प्रातिपदिक) + varya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमास: तत्पुरुष (द्विजेषु वर्यः); पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
kathamhow
katham:
Sambandha (Interrogative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkatham (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण
ceṣṭāeffort/undertaking
ceṣṭā:
Karta/Pratijñā (Subject/topic)
TypeNoun
Rootceṣṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
daśaten
daśa:
Visheshana (Numeral qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootdaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसंख्यावाचक; (अव्ययवत्) बहुवचनार्थे; विशेषणम् (yajñāḥ)
yajñāḥsacrifices
yajñāḥ:
Karta/Pratijñā (Subject/topic)
TypeNoun
Rootyajña (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
mahā-dhanāḥrequiring great wealth/very costly
mahā-dhanāḥ:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootmahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमास: कर्मधारय (महद् धनं येषां ते); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (yajñāḥ)
Speaker
Śiva (implied continuation)
Tirtha Mahatmya
Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā tīrtha)
Type: kshetra
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Śaṅkara addresses the brāhmaṇa respectfully, asking how ten great, wealth-intensive sacrifices could be carried out.
Characters & Entities
D
Dvija (Brāhmaṇa)Y
YajñaFAQs
Even exalted ritual attainments are examined by the Lord; true dharma must be grounded in right means and faith.
The broader Revā Khaṇḍa context points to a Revā/Narmadā tīrtha whose merit is being discussed.
The verse references “ten sacrifices,” highlighting the magnitude of yajña, but gives no procedural prescription here.