Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

वाचिकं मानसं पापं कर्मणा यत्कृतं नृप । लोटणेश्वरमासाद्य सर्वं विलयतां व्रजेत्

Transliteration

vācikaṃ mānasaṃ pāpaṃ karmaṇā yatkṛtaṃ nṛpa | loṭaṇeśvaramāsādya sarvaṃ vilayatāṃ vrajet

Translation

हे नृपा, वाणीने, मनाने किंवा कर्माने जे काही पाप केले असेल, लोटणेश्वरास प्राप्त होताच ते सर्व लयास जाऊन नष्ट होते.

Word by Word

• वाचिकम्: verbal (by speech)
• वाचिकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाचिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• मानसम्: mental
• मानसम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कर्मणा: by action/deed
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• कृतम्: done/committed
• कृतम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; 'यत्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोटणेश्वरम्: Lord Loṭaṇeśvara
• लोटणेश्वरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोटण-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोटणस्य ईश्वरः)

• आसाद्य: having approached
• आसाद्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ- सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); 'पापम्' इत्यर्थे समस्तपापसमूहः

• विलयताम्: let (them) dissolve
• विलयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ली (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपदम्; आज्ञार्थे (let ... dissolve)

• व्रजेत्: would go/come to (i.e., pass away)
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Loṭaṇeśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (nṛpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A penitent pilgrim stands before the Loṭaṇeśvara liṅga, hands folded; above, subtle symbolic motifs of speech (script), mind (lotus), and action (hands/feet) dissolve into light emanating from the shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Loṭaṇeśvara (Śiva)
• King (nṛpa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-kṣetras are portrayed as powerful centers of purification, dissolving sin across thought, word, and deed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Loṭaṇeśvara, the Śiva-liṅga/shrine associated with the Revā–Sāgara-saṅgama.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Approaching/visiting (āsādya) Loṭaṇeśvara—typically paired with darśana and worship—is stated as the means of purification.