Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

ध्यायन्वै स महादेवं निराहारो युधिष्ठिर । उवास तीर्थे तस्मिन् वै यावत्प्राणपरिक्षयम्

Transliteration

dhyāyanvai sa mahādevaṃ nirāhāro yudhiṣṭhira | uvāsa tīrthe tasmin vai yāvatprāṇaparikṣayam

Translation

ഹേ യുധിഷ്ഠിരാ! മഹാദേവനെ ധ്യാനിച്ചുകൊണ്ട്, നിരാഹാരനായി, അവൻ ആ തീർത്ഥത്തിൽ പ്രാണക്ഷയം വരെയും വസിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• ध्यायन्: meditating
• ध्यायन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (while meditating)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; अवधारण/खलु-अर्थे (emphatic particle)

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महादेवं: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘महान् देवः’ इति कर्मधारयः

• निराहारः: without food, fasting
• निराहारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘निः आहारः’ इति नञ्/निर्-पूर्वकः (without food)

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• उवास: he dwelt / stayed
• उवास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तस्मिन्: in that (place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; अवधारणार्थे

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: Kala-Avadhi (Temporal limit/कालावधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधिपर्यन्तबोधक (until/as long as)

• प्राणपरिक्षयम्: the end/exhaustion of (his) life-breath
• प्राणपरिक्षयम्: Kala-Avadhi (Temporal limit/कालावधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण + परिक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘प्राणानां परिक्षयः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; अवधिवाचक (up to the exhaustion of life-breath)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An emaciated ascetic seated in padmāsana on a riverbank, eyes half-closed in Śiva-meditation; minimal hut or rock seat; dusk light; a subtle liṅga or Śiva-symbol nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dāru (implied)
• Dāru-tīrtha (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Single-pointed Śiva-dhyāna combined with austerity and steadfast residence at a tīrtha is praised as a path to the highest end.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha being discussed is Dāru-tīrtha on the Narmadā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditation on Mahādeva and nirāhāra (fasting), along with living at the tīrtha as a sustained observance.