Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

पितृदेवमनुष्यांश्च संतर्प्य तदनन्तरम् । उत्तीर्य तीरे तस्यैव पञ्चभिर्द्विजपुंगवैः

Transliteration

pitṛdevamanuṣyāṃśca saṃtarpya tadanantaram | uttīrya tīre tasyaiva pañcabhirdvijapuṃgavaiḥ

Translation

പിതൃകൾ, ദേവന്മാർ, മനുഷ്യർ എന്നിവരെ സന്തർപ്പിച്ച്, തുടർന്ന് അതേ തീരത്ത് കയറി അഞ്ചു ശ്രേഷ്ഠ ദ്വിജന്മാരോടൊപ്പം (അടുത്ത കര്‍മ്മം) നടത്തണം.

Word by Word

• पितॄन्: ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• देवान्: gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• मनुष्यांश्: humans
• मनुष्यांश्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• संतर्प्य: having satisfied (with offerings)
• संतर्प्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + तृप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable gerund): having satisfied/propitiated

• तत्: then
• तत्: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग (adverbial: then/thereafter)

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: immediately after)

• उत्तीर्य: having come out (of the water)
• उत्तीर्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + तॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव: having come out/crossed over

• तीरे: on the bank
• तीरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तस्य: of that (river)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle: indeed/just)

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana/Sahakari (Means/association)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• द्विजपुंगवैः: by/with the foremost brāhmaṇas
• द्विजपुंगवैः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + पुंगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (द्विजानां पुंगवाः = best of the twice-born)

Speaker

Unspecified (procedural instruction within Revākhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīra tarpaṇa-sthāna (bank for pitṛ/deva tarpaṇa)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After bathing, the pilgrim stands on the bank with wet cloth, performing tarpaṇa with cupped hands; five venerable brāhmaṇas stand nearby to guide the rite, with offerings arranged on kusa and a small water pot.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Devas
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma integrates gratitude and duty—honoring ancestors, gods, and society before personal ritual completion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A river-bank tīrtha context within Revākhaṇḍa, traditionally linked to Revā (Narmadā) sacred rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform tarpaṇa/santarpana for pitṛs, devas, and humans, then proceed on the bank with five qualified brāhmaṇas.