Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 169

Devanagari script

एतत्ते कथितं सर्वं व्रतानामुत्तमं व्रतम् । अन्यत्पृच्छस्व सुभगे वाञ्छितं यद्धृदि स्थितम्

Transliteration

etatte kathitaṃ sarvaṃ vratānāmuttamaṃ vratam | anyatpṛcchasva subhage vāñchitaṃ yaddhṛdi sthitam

Translation

ഇതെല്ലാം നിന്നോട് പറഞ്ഞു—വ്രതങ്ങളിൽ ഇതാണ് ഉത്തമവ്രതം. ഇനി, ഹേ സुभഗേ, ഹൃദയത്തിൽ ഉള്ള ആഗ്രഹമനുസരിച്ച് മറ്റൊന്ന് ചോദിക്കൂ.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive Singular) / चतुर्थी-एकवचन (Dative Singular) रूप; अत्र चतुर्थी (to you)

• कथितम्: told, narrated
• कथितम्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथित (प्रातिपदिक; √कथ् क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘has been told’

• सर्वम्: all, entire
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘etat’)

• व्रतानाम्: of vows
• व्रतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-बहुवचन (Genitive Plural)

• उत्तमम्: best, supreme
• उत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘vratam’)

• व्रतम्: vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative Singular)

• अन्यत्: something else
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative Singular)

• पृच्छस्व: ask
• पृच्छस्व: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष-एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; √प्रच्छ् ‘to ask’

• सुभगे: O fortunate one
• सुभगे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुभग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vocative Singular)

• वाञ्छितम्: the desired (thing)
• वाञ्छितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाञ्छित (प्रातिपदिक; √वाञ्छ् क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, ‘desired thing’

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचन (Locative Singular)

• स्थितम्: situated, present
• स्थितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थित (प्रातिपदिक; √स्था क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण qualifying ‘yat’

Speaker

Nārada

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Queen/auspicious lady

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage (Nārada) concluding instruction, seated with vīṇā, addressing an attentive queen; calm hermitage or palace-assembly setting; gesture of invitation to ask further.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic teaching is dialogic: once dharma is explained, the seeker is encouraged to inquire further with sincerity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None in this verse; it is a narrative transition within the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It identifies the discussed observance as ‘the best vow’ and invites further inquiry; no new rite is prescribed.