Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

सुकर्मा वा विकर्मा वा शान्तो दान्तो जितेन्द्रियः । मृतो जन्तुर्मम जले गच्छतादमरावतीम्

Transliteration

sukarmā vā vikarmā vā śānto dānto jitendriyaḥ | mṛto janturmama jale gacchatādamarāvatīm

Translation

സുകർമ്മം ചെയ്തവനായാലും വികർമ്മം ചെയ്തവനായാലും—ശാന്തനും ദാന്തനും ജിതേന്ദ്രിയനുമായാലും—എന്റെ ജലത്തിൽ ദേഹത്യാഗം ചെയ്യുന്ന ജീവി അമരാവതിയെ പ്രാപിക്കട്ടെ।

Word by Word

• सुकर्मा: of good deeds, virtuous
• सुकर्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘जन्तुः’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: ‘or’)

• विकर्मा: of bad deeds, sinful
• विकर्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘जन्तुः’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: ‘or’)

• शान्तः: calm, pacified
• शान्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त—शम् धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• दान्तः: self-controlled, restrained
• दान्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त—दम् धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• जितेन्द्रियः: one who has conquered the senses
• जितेन्द्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित-इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक; समास; कृदन्त—जि धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘इन्द्रियाणि जितानि यस्य’ इति विशेषण

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त—मृ धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण—‘जन्तुः’

• जन्तुः: a creature, being
• जन्तुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम—सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• जले: in the water
• जले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• गच्छतात्: let (him) go
• गच्छतात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अमरावतीम्: to Amarāvatī (city of the gods/Indra)
• अमरावतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमरावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (accusative goal)

Speaker

Narmadā (addressing Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king addressed as nṛpasattama (within the episode)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Personified Revā as a radiant river-goddess, her waters shimmering; a departing soul (jīva) rises from the river toward Amarāvatī, while Śaiva symbols (trident, crescent) subtly frame the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā
• Amarāvatī
• Indra (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The purāṇic tīrtha ideal: sacred waters can uplift beings beyond ordinary karmic limitations, emphasizing compassion and grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Narmadā’s waters (Revā-jala) are described as powerful enough to grant a divine destination.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse asserts the salvific power associated with contact with (and even death in) the river’s waters.