Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

लेखार्थं चिन्तयित्वा तु गृह्य वीर्यं नरेश्वरः । अमोघं पुटिकां कृत्वा प्रतिलेखेन मिश्रितम्

Transliteration

lekhārthaṃ cintayitvā tu gṛhya vīryaṃ nareśvaraḥ | amoghaṃ puṭikāṃ kṛtvā pratilekhena miśritam

Translation

Tendo ponderado o sentido da carta, o senhor dos homens tomou sua semente e fez um invólucro infalível, encerrando junto uma resposta escrita.

Word by Word

• lekhārtham: the meaning of the letter
• lekhārtham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lekha (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (lekhasya arthaḥ)

• cintayitvā: having considered
• cintayitvā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cint (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातु: चिन्त् (to think)

• tu: but/then
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction/particle)

• gṛhya: having taken
• gṛhya: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातु: ग्रह् (to take)

• vīryam: semen/virility (seed)
• vīryam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• nareśvaraḥ: the king (lord of men)
• nareśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (narāṇām īśvaraḥ)

• amogham: unfailing, effective
• amogham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amogha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं पुटिकाम्

• puṭikām: a small packet/pouch
• puṭikām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṭikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातु: कृ (to make)

• pratilekhena: with a counter-letter/reply note
• pratilekhena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prati-lekha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; उपसर्ग-पूर्वपद (prati-)

• miśritam: mixed
• miśritam: Kriya (Participial predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: miśr (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; here agreeing with (vīryam implied) or the contents: 'mixed'

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Vasu, after reading, prepares an ‘unfailing packet’—a small sealed bundle—combining a written reply with potent seed, suggesting secrecy and urgency.

Characters & Entities

• Vasurāja (King Vasu)
• pratilekha (reply letter)
• vīrya (seed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Deliberation before action is praised; decisions affecting lineage and duty are taken with mindful intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No explicit tīrtha is named in this verse; it is a key plot point within the Revā Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the preparation of an item to be sent back.