Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थश्च वानप्रस्थो विधिक्रमात् । यतिधर्मविधानेन चचार विपुलतपः

Transliteration

brahmacārī gṛhasthaśca vānaprastho vidhikramāt | yatidharmavidhānena cacāra vipulatapaḥ

Translation

அவன் விதிமுறையின்படி முதலில் பிரம்மச்சாரி, பின்னர் கிருஹஸ்தன், அதன் பின் வானப்ரஸ்தன் ஆனான்; யதி-தர்ம விதிகளின்படி மிகுந்த தவம் செய்தான்.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मचारी: a brahmacārin (celibate student)
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; आश्रमविशेषवाचकः

• गृहस्थः: a householder
• गृहस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; आश्रमविशेषवाचकः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• वानप्रस्थः: a forest-dweller (vānaprastha)
• वानप्रस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानप्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; आश्रमविशेषवाचकः

• विधिक्रमात्: according to the prescribed order
• विधिक्रमात्: Hetu/Reason (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘विधेः क्रमः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; हेतौ/क्रमेण (by due order)

• यतिधर्मविधानेन: by the prescribed rule of an ascetic’s dharma
• यतिधर्मविधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति + धर्म + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘यतेः धर्मस्य विधानम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः; करणत्वे (by the ordinance of ascetic discipline)

• चचार: he practiced / he performed
• चचार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विपुलतपः: abundant austerity
• विपुलतपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपुल + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘विपुलं तपः’ इति कर्मधारयः

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary ascetic progressing through life-stages, finally adopting renunciant austerities—minimal possessions, matted hair, sacred thread or staff—set near a riverine tīrtha landscape.

Characters & Entities

• Dāru (implied)
• Brahmacarya
• Gṛhastha
• Vānaprastha
• Yati-dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual fruition is portrayed as arising from orderly dharmic living (āśramas) culminating in disciplined renunciation and tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dāru-tīrtha indirectly, through the life-pattern of the sage whose tapas sanctifies the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescribed order of life-stages (brahmacarya → gṛhastha → vānaprastha) and adherence to yati-dharma as a discipline.