Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

लेखयित्वा च सकलं रेवाचरितमुत्तमम् । भूषणं सर्वशास्त्राणां यो ददाति द्विजन्मने

Transliteration

lekhayitvā ca sakalaṃ revācaritamuttamam | bhūṣaṇaṃ sarvaśāstrāṇāṃ yo dadāti dvijanmane

Translation

സകലവും ഉത്തമമായ റെവാ-ചരിതം എഴുതിപ്പിച്ച് ദ്വിജനു ദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ, സർവ്വശാസ്ത്രങ്ങളുടെ ഭൂഷണമെന്ന പുണ്യം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• लेखयित्वा: having written
• लेखयित्वा: Kriya (पूर्वकर्म/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिख् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी-धातु; अव्ययभावः (indeclinable verbal)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• सकलम्: entire
• सकलम्: Karma (object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• रेवाचरितम्: the story/deeds of Revā (Narmadā)
• रेवाचरितम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक) + चरित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रेवायाः चरितम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karma (object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (रेवाचरितस्य)

• भूषणम्: an ornament
• भूषणम्: Karma (Object/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सर्वशास्त्राणाम्: of all scriptures
• सर्वशास्त्राणाम्: Sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (सर्वाणि शास्त्राणि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यः (relative pronoun)

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• द्विजन्मने: to a twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजन्मने: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (द्विजः = द्विवारं जन्म यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced: Āvantya Khaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā (collective tīrthas)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor presents a freshly written palm-leaf/bhojapatra manuscript titled ‘Revā-carita’ to a seated brāhmaṇa scholar; behind them flows the Narmadā with ghāṭa steps, lamps, and a small shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Dvija (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Preserving and transmitting sacred literature through copying and gifting is a high form of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site; the verse glorifies Revā-carita as a śāstric treasure worthy of donation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Lekhana (copying/commissioning a copy) and dāna (gifting) of the Revā-carita to a dvija.