Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

धर्मोऽपि विधिवद्वत्स विवाहं समकारयत् । देवदेवस्य राजर्षे देवतार्थे समाहितः

Transliteration

dharmo'pi vidhivadvatsa vivāhaṃ samakārayat | devadevasya rājarṣe devatārthe samāhitaḥ

Translation

ധർമ്മനും, ഹേ വത്സാ, വിധിപ്രകാരം വിവാഹം നടത്തിച്ചു—ഹേ രാജർഷേ—ദേവതകളുടെ ലക്ഷ്യത്തിലും ദേവദേവന്റെ കാര്യത്തിലും മനസ്സു ഏകാഗ്രമാക്കി।

Word by Word

• धर्मः: Dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-निपातः (also)

• विधिवत्: according to proper rite
• विधिवत्: Kriya-viseshana (Manner adverb/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय; विधि + वत्)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (according to rule)

• वत्स: O child/dear one
• वत्स: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• विवाहम्: marriage
• विवाहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• समकारयत्: caused to be performed, arranged
• समकारयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु; करण) उपसर्गः सम्; णिच् (causative)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्तः (causative)

• देव-देवस्य: of the God of gods
• देव-देवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• राजर्षे: O royal sage
• राजर्षे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• देवतार्थे: for the sake of the deity
• देवतार्थे: Adhikarana (Purpose-context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवत (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• समाहितः: composed, intent
• समाहितः: Karta-anvaya (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √धा, उपसर्ग सम्-आ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तः; धर्मः इति कर्तृ-विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Mārkaṇḍeya–Yudhiṣṭhira dialogue)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dharma personified as a dignified officiant conducts the wedding rites; sacred fire, offerings, and orderly ritual implements; devas witness with approval.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Devadeva
• Devatāḥ
• Rājarṣi (Yudhiṣṭhira as addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is not abstract—he is shown as actively upholding cosmic order through correct ritual performance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is the Revā (Narmadā) sacred landscape; this verse emphasizes ritual propriety rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The marriage is to be performed vidhivat—according to prescribed ritual rules.