Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

शूद्रोऽपि द्विजशुश्रूषुस्तोषयित्वा महेश्वरम् । विमुच्य नान्यथा पापः पतते नरके ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

śūdro'pi dvijaśuśrūṣustoṣayitvā maheśvaram | vimucya nānyathā pāpaḥ patate narake dhruvam

Translation

ശൂദ്രനും ദ്വിജന്മാരെ സേവിക്കുന്നതിലൂടെയും മഹേശ്വരനെ പ്രസാദിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിലൂടെയും പാപമുക്തനാകുന്നു. അല്ലാത്തപക്ഷം പാപം നീങ്ങുകയില്ല, നരകത്തില്‍ പതിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യും.

Word by Word

• शूद्रः: a Shudra
• शूद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (even)

• द्विज-शुश्रूषुः: desirous of serving the twice-born
• द्विज-शुश्रूषुः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विजशुश्रूषु (प्रातिपदिक); द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (शुश्रूषु = सेवा-इच्छुक)

• तोषयित्वा: having pleased
• तोषयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त धातु (तोषय-) + क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); अव्ययभाव

• महेश्वरम्: Maheshvara (Shiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक); महा + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विमुच्य: having been released; having cast off
• विमुच्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: उपसर्ग-युक्त (वि+मुच्) क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्यय (ल्यप्/absolutive in -ya)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक/प्रकारार्थक अव्यय (otherwise)

• पापः: a sinner
• पापः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पतते: falls
• पतते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम् (indeclinable adverbial accusative)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing reply)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (general)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble attendant serves brāhmaṇas and then offers flowers and water to a Śiva-liṅga; in the background, a shadowy depiction of naraka serves as moral contrast.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humble service and devotion that pleases Śiva are upheld as purifying; neglect of dharma leads to downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the focus is on conduct and devotion to Maheśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Service to the dvijas and devotion that ‘pleases Maheśvara’ are prescribed as the means of purification.