Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

दीर्घतपा उवाच । उद्वेगं त्यज भो वत्स दुरुक्तं गदितो मया । पुत्रशोकाभिभूतेन दुःखतप्तेन मानद

Transliteration

dīrghatapā uvāca | udvegaṃ tyaja bho vatsa duruktaṃ gadito mayā | putraśokābhibhūtena duḥkhataptena mānada

Translation

ദീർഘതപാ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ വത്സ, ഉദ്വേഗം ഉപേക്ഷിക്ക. പുത്രശോകത്തിൽ ആകുലനായി ദുഃഖത്തിൽ ദഗ്ധനായി ഞാൻ കടുത്ത വാക്കുകൾ പറഞ്ഞു; ഹേ മാനദ, ക്ഷമിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• दीर्घतपाः: Dīrghatapā (the sage of long austerity)
• दीर्घतपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घतपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—दीर्घः + तपाः (दीर्घतपाः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• उद्वेगम्: agitation, anxiety
• उद्वेगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• त्यज: abandon
• त्यज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• वत्स: dear child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• दुरुक्तम्: harsh/ill-spoken words
• दुरुक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—दुर् + उक्तम्

• गदितः: spoken
• गदितः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग (pronoun), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पुत्रशोकाभिभूतेन: overcome by grief for (my) son
• पुत्रशोकाभिभूतेन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र + शोक + अभिभूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—पुत्रशोक (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + अभिभूत (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• दुःखतप्तेन: tormented by sorrow
• दुःखतप्तेन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख + तप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—दुःखेन तप्तः (तत्पुरुष)

• मानद: O giver of honor (respected one)
• मानद: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Dīrghatapā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha-frame

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Citrasena (addressed as vatsa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aged ascetic (Dīrghatapā) softens his posture, addressing a younger figure with paternal tenderness, palms lowered in pacifying gesture; the atmosphere is heavy with bereavement yet turning toward reconciliation, with a riverbank hermitage implied.

Characters & Entities

• Dīrghatapā
• Udvega (agitation)
• Putraśoka (grief)
• Mānada (address to king/Citrasena)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when wronged, a dharmic person returns to composure, acknowledges excess speech, and restores harmony through restraint and humility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No direct tīrtha is named in this verse; it is part of the Revā Khaṇḍa’s dharma-narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse teaches interpersonal dharma (gentleness and self-control).