Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

अतिरान्त्रफलं तस्य अन्ते रुद्रत्वमाप्नुयात् । गुणान्विताय विप्राय कपिलां तत्र भारत

Transliteration

atirāntraphalaṃ tasya ante rudratvamāpnuyāt | guṇānvitāya viprāya kapilāṃ tatra bhārata

Translation

അവന് ഫലം അത്യന്തം മഹത്തായിരിക്കും; അവസാനം രുദ്രത്വം പ്രാപിക്കും. കൂടാതെ അവിടെ, ഹേ ഭാരത, ഗുണസമ്പന്നനായ ബ്രാഹ്മണന് കപിലാ പശുവിനെ ദാനം ചെയ്യണം.

Word by Word

• अतिरान्त्रफलम्: the fruit of the Atirātra (rite)
• अतिरान्त्रफलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिरात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; (अतिरात्रस्य फलम्)

• तस्य: of him/of that (person)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• रुद्रत्वम्: Rudra-hood; state of being Rudra
• रुद्रत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्रत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व abstract)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• आप्नुयात्: would attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गुणान्विताय: to a virtuous/endowed (brāhmaṇa)
• गुणान्विताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative); एकवचन; विशेषण (विप्राय)

• विप्राय: to a brāhmaṇa
• विप्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• कपिलाम्: a tawny cow
• कपिलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

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

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति; एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator addressing Bhārata (listener implied)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Piṅgaleśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata/bhūpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Piṅgaleśvara, a devotee completes the vow and offers a tawny cow to a virtuous brāhmaṇa; the liṅga stands as witness, suggesting the devotee’s ascent toward Rudra-nature.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Piṅgaleśvara (context)
• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Bhārata (listener)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Highest spiritual attainment is paired with generosity—vrata and inner restraint culminate in dāna and Rudra-oriented liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Piṅgaleśvara sacred place within the Revā Khaṇḍa, where the vrata and dāna are recommended.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Go-dāna: gifting a kapilā (tawny cow) to a virtuous brāhmaṇa, alongside the site-based vow.