Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

बलेन तेजसा चैव ह्यधिको यो भविष्यति । स इमां प्राप्स्यते कन्यां नान्यथा वै सुरोत्तमाः

Transliteration

balena tejasā caiva hyadhiko yo bhaviṣyati | sa imāṃ prāpsyate kanyāṃ nānyathā vai surottamāḥ

Translation

ബലത്തിലും തേജസ്സിലും ആരാണ് ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായി തെളിയുക, അവൻ തന്നേ ഈ കന്യയെ പ്രാപിക്കും—മറ്റെങ്ങനെ അല്ല, ഹേ ദേവോത്തമന്മാരേ।

Word by Word

• बलेन: by strength
• बलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• तेजसा: by brilliance/power
• तेजसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये अव्यय (particle; for emphasis/indeed)

• अधिकः: superior
• अधिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषण

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इमाम्: this (one)
• इमाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्राप्स्यते: will obtain
• प्राप्स्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कन्याम्: the maiden
• कन्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

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

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: otherwise)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (particle: indeed)

• सुरोत्तमाः: O best of gods
• सुरोत्तमाः: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative-like address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर+उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणाम् उत्तमाः)

Speaker

Mahādeva (Śiva) (speech reported by narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tirtha-zone (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A proclamation before gods and asuras: only the one superior in bala and tejas will win the maiden; the assembly bristles with pride and anticipation.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Devas
• the maiden (kanyā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire must be restrained by a rule of dharma; rightful attainment is framed as dependent on proven capability and divine ordinance, not mere claim.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None explicitly in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.