Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

भोभो यक्ष महासत्त्व वरं वरय सुव्रत । परितुष्टोऽस्मि ते भक्त्या तव दास्ये यथेप्सितम्

Transliteration

bhobho yakṣa mahāsattva varaṃ varaya suvrata | parituṣṭo'smi te bhaktyā tava dāsye yathepsitam

Translation

“ഹേ യക്ഷാ! മഹാസത്ത്വനേ, സുവ്രതനേ! വരം വരിക്ക. നിന്റെ ഭക്തിയിൽ ഞാൻ പൂർണ്ണമായി പ്രസന്നനാണ്; നീ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ ഞാൻ നിനക്കു വരം നൽകും.”

Word by Word

• भोभो: O! O!
• भोभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधनार्थक-निपात; द्विरुक्तिः (vocative interjection)

• यक्ष: O Yakṣa
• यक्ष: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• महासत्त्व: O great-souled one
• महासत्त्व: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: महत् सत्त्वं यस्य/महासत्त्वः; अत्र सम्बोधन, एकवचन (पुंलिङ्ग)

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वरय: choose/request
• वरय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सुव्रत: O one of good vows
• सुव्रत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: सुन्दरं व्रतं यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• परितुष्टः: fully pleased
• परितुष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि (उपसर्ग) + तुष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अस्मि’ इत्यस्य पूरक (predicate)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ते: your/of you
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध) एकवचन; ‘भक्त्या’ इत्यस्य सम्बन्धः (by your devotion)

• भक्त्या: by devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तव: of you/for you
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• दास्ये: in (my) service/servitude
• दास्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘दास्ये’ = सेवाभावे/सेवायाम् (in servitude/service)

• यथा: as/according to
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (as/according as)

• ईप्सितम्: desired/wished
• ईप्सितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईप्सित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: ईप्स् (धातु) + क्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यथेप्सितम्’ = यथा ईप्सितम् (as desired)

Speaker

Śiva (Maheśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The Yakṣa devotee (direct addressee within the verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva addresses the devotee: ‘O Yakṣa, great-souled one, choose a boon; pleased by your devotion, I shall grant your desired service.’ The devotee stands or kneels in añjali, overwhelmed yet composed; Śiva’s smile conveys intimacy and assurance.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Maheśvara)
• Yakṣa (Kubera implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine grace responds to sincere devotion: the Lord invites the devotee to ask for a boon.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha at the Kāverī–Narmadā saṅgama is implicitly glorified as the place where Śiva directly grants boons.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse affirms the fruit of vrata and bhakti: eligibility to receive a boon (vara) from Śiva.