Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

साक्षतैर्भाजनैस्तत्र शतसाहस्रयोषितः । मन्त्रान् पठन्ति विप्राश्च मङ्गलान्यपि योषितः

Transliteration

sākṣatairbhājanaistatra śatasāhasrayoṣitaḥ | mantrān paṭhanti viprāśca maṅgalānyapi yoṣitaḥ

Translation

അവിടെ അക്ഷതം നിറച്ച പാത്രങ്ങൾ കൈയിൽ പിടിച്ച് ലക്ഷക്കണക്കിന് സ്ത്രീകൾ നിന്നിരുന്നു. ബ്രാഹ്മണർ മന്ത്രങ്ങൾ പാരായണം ചെയ്തു; സ്ത്രീകളും മംഗളാശീർവാദങ്ങൾ ഉച്ചരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• साक्षतैः: with unbroken rice grains (akṣata)
• साक्षतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; साधन/करणार्थे

• भाजनैः: with vessels/containers
• भाजनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• शतसाहस्रयोषितः: women numbering a hundred thousand
• शतसाहस्रयोषितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + साहस्र + योषित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; समासः—संख्यापूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (शतसाहस्राणां योषितः)

• मन्त्रान्: mantras
• मन्त्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• पठन्ति: recite/read
• पठन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• विप्राः: brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• मङ्गलानि: auspicious verses/benedictions
• मङ्गलानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (also/even)

• योषितः: women
• योषितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योषित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast riverine city approach: women in rows holding brass/earthen vessels of akṣata; brāhmaṇas chanting; the air filled with auspicious cries and blessings.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Brāhmaṇas (vipra)
• akṣata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspiciousness is cultivated through mantra and sanctified offerings (akṣata), showing dharma expressed through communal ritual speech and symbols.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it remains within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use of akṣata and mantra-recitation in welcome/maṅgala rites is indicated, though not framed as a command.