Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

निश्चयं परमं कृत्वा स्थिता शान्तेन चेतसा । ततः सम्पूज्य विधिवत्पितॄन्देवान्नराधिप

Transliteration

niścayaṃ paramaṃ kṛtvā sthitā śāntena cetasā | tataḥ sampūjya vidhivatpitṝndevānnarādhipa

Translation

പരമമായ നിശ്ചയം എടുത്ത് അവൾ ശാന്തചിത്തത്തോടെ നിലകൊണ്ടു. തുടർന്ന്, ഹേ നരാധിപാ, വിധിപൂർവ്വം പിതൃകളെയും ദേവന്മാരെയും പൂജിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• निश्चयम्: determination
• निश्चयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme, highest
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); अव्ययभाव; 'having made'

• स्थिता: remained
• स्थिता: Kriya (State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'stood/remained'

• शान्तेन: calm
• शान्तेन: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (here with चेतसा), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• चेतसा: with mind
• चेतसा: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तर (thereafter)

• सम्पूज्य: having worshipped
• सम्पूज्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); अव्ययभाव; 'having duly worshipped'

• विधिवत्: according to rule
• विधिवत्: Prakara (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• नराधिप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नराणाम् अधिपः)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Revā Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Unnamed Kuṇḍa (Revākhaṇḍa)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Uttānapāda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhānumatī stands composed, then performs orderly offerings—water libations for Pitṛs and flower-lamp worship for Devas—beside the sacred waters.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Devas
• narādhipa (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True religious action begins with saṅkalpa (firm resolve) and śānta-citta (peaceful mind), followed by honoring both ancestors and gods in the right order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revā Khaṇḍa (Narmadā-region tīrthas) context emphasizes that tīrtha merit is strengthened by pitṛ and deva worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vidhivat sampūjā of Pitṛs and Devas—prescribed worship/offerings (commonly including śrāddha/tarpaṇa for Pitṛs and pūjā for Devas).