Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

ऋणत्रयमिदं प्रोक्तं पुत्राणां धर्मनन्दन । सत्पुत्रास्ते तु राजेन्द्र स्नाता य ऋणमोचने

Transliteration

ṛṇatrayamidaṃ proktaṃ putrāṇāṃ dharmanandana | satputrāste tu rājendra snātā ya ṛṇamocane

Translation

ധർമ്മനന്ദനാ! പുത്രന്മാർക്കായി ഈ ത്രിവിധ ഋണം പ്രസ്താവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. രാജേന്ദ്രാ! ഋണമോചന തീർത്ഥത്തിൽ സ്നാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവരാണ് യഥാർത്ഥ സത്പുത്രർ.

Word by Word

• ऋणत्रयम्: the three debts
• ऋणत्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋण + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयाणि ऋणानि)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: has been stated
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘declared’

• पुत्राणाम्: of sons
• पुत्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• धर्मनन्दन: O delight of dharma
• धर्मनन्दन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य नन्दनः)

• सत्पुत्राः: good sons
• सत्पुत्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सन्तः पुत्राः)

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (but/indeed)

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः)

• स्नाताः: bathed/purified
• स्नाताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्ना (धातु) → स्नात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• ऋणमोचने: in the release from debt
• ऋणमोचने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋण + मोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ऋणस्य मोचनम्)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (contextual narrator within Revā Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ṛṇamocana-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (king) and ‘Dharma-nandana’ (addressed figure)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prince/householder son bathes at a river-ford labeled Ṛṇamocana, hands folded in saṅkalpa; elders and priests witness, emphasizing filial dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṇa-traya (three debts)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ‘good son’ is one who actively helps fulfill dharmic obligations, including pilgrimage and rites that symbolize release from inherited and sacred debts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

An ṛṇa-mocana tīrtha (a ‘debt-release’ holy bathing place) within the Revā Khaṇḍa’s tīrtha network, referenced by function rather than name in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) at the ṛṇa-mocana tīrtha as part of fulfilling ṛṇa-traya duties.