Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

तृतीयं ख्यातदेवस्य दर्शनाभ्यर्चनादिभिः । चतुर्थं जाप्ययोगेन देहशक्त्या त्वहर्निशम्

Transliteration

tṛtīyaṃ khyātadevasya darśanābhyarcanādibhiḥ | caturthaṃ jāpyayogena dehaśaktyā tvaharniśam

Translation

മൂന്നാമത്തെ (അനുഷ്ഠാനക്രമം) പ്രസിദ്ധ ദേവന്റെ ദർശനം, അർച്ചന മുതലായ ഭക്തികർമങ്ങളാൽ ലഭിക്കുന്നു. നാലാമത്തേത് ശരീരശേഷിയനുസരിച്ച് പകൽ-രാത്രി ജപയോഗനിയമത്തോടെ സിദ്ധിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• tṛtīyam: the third (benefit)
• tṛtīyam: Karma/Pratijna (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg; 'the third (benefit)')

• khyāta-devasya: of the famed deity
• khyāta-devasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khyāta (कृदन्त; √khyā, क्त) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: कर्मधारय (khyātaḥ devaḥ = 'famous deity'); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive singular)

• darśana-abhyarcana-ādibhiḥ: by seeing, worship, and the like
• darśana-abhyarcana-ādibhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darśana (प्रातिपदिक) + abhyarcana (प्रातिपदिक; abhi+√arc) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (darśana + abhyarcana) ततः 'ādi' सह समाहारार्थ-प्रयोग; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• caturtham: the fourth (benefit)
• caturtham: Karma/Pratijna (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg; 'the fourth (benefit)')

• jāpya-yogena: by the practice of recitation
• jāpya-yogena: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāpya (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: तत्पुरुष (jāpyasya yogaḥ = connection/practice of recitation); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• deha-śaktyā: with bodily strength
• deha-śaktyā: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: तत्पुरुष (dehasya śaktiḥ = bodily strength); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• aharniśam: day and night; continually
• aharniśam: Kala-adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aharniśam (अव्यय; अहन्+निशा समाहार)
• Form: समासः: द्वन्द्व (ahar + niśā) समाहारार्थे; कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (to Yudhiṣṭhira) [contextual deduction across Revā Khaṇḍa dialogue]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (contextual addressee)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a riverside temple, devotees offer flowers and incense to a famed deity; outside, ascetics sit in rows with mālās, continuing japa through dusk into night, lamps flickering along the ghat.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage-fruit is not only from travel; darśana, worship, and sustained japa—done within one’s capacity—are recognized as powerful spiritual disciplines.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse speaks generally within the Revā Khaṇḍa framework (Narmadā/Revā tīrtha culture), emphasizing devotion to a ‘renowned deity’ rather than naming a single shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devotional acts (darśana, abhyarcana) and japa performed continuously (aharniśam) in proportion to bodily strength.