Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 174

Devanagari script

गोविन्दः पूजयामास स्वशक्त्या ब्राह्मणाञ्छुभान् । मुक्तपापो गृहायातः स्वभार्यासहितो नृप

Transliteration

govindaḥ pūjayāmāsa svaśaktyā brāhmaṇāñchubhān | muktapāpo gṛhāyātaḥ svabhāryāsahito nṛpa

Translation

அரசே! கோவிந்தன் தன் ஆற்றலுக்கேற்ப நற்குணமுடைய பிராமணர்களை பூஜித்தான்; பாவம் நீங்கி, மனைவியுடன் இல்லம் திரும்பினான்.

Word by Word

• गोविन्दः: Govinda
• गोविन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पूजयामास: worshipped/honored
• पूजयामास: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु: पूज्

• स्वशक्त्या: according to his ability
• स्वशक्त्या: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: स्वा शक्ति: ‘one’s own ability’

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• शुभान्: auspicious, worthy
• शुभान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ब्राह्मणान्)

• मुक्तपापः: freed from sin
• मुक्तपापः: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: पापात् मुक्तः (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• गृहायातः: returned home
• गृहायातः: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृह + आयात (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from आ + या धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) आ+या → आयात; तत्पुरुष: गृहं आयातः

• स्वभार्यासहितः: accompanied by his wife
• स्वभार्यासहितः: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + भार्या + सहित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from सह धातु/सहिता)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: स्वभार्यया सहितः (accompanied by his wife)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king) addressed

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A concluding narrative image: Govinda and his wife, having completed dāna and brāhmaṇa honor, depart the tīrtha peacefully, carrying minimal belongings, faces calm with relief and purity.

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is accessible: even ‘according to one’s means’ (svaśakti) charity and reverence can bring purification and auspicious household life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative belongs to the Revā Khaṇḍa milieu; the verse highlights the vrata’s social-dharmic completion rather than a single named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Honoring brāhmaṇas with offerings in proportion to one’s ability as part of vrata observance.