Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

तल्लब्ध्वा मदमात्सर्यं यो वै त्यजति मानवः । संनियम्य सदात्मानं ज्ञानचक्षुर्नरो हि सः

Transliteration

tallabdhvā madamātsaryaṃ yo vai tyajati mānavaḥ | saṃniyamya sadātmānaṃ jñānacakṣurnaro hi saḥ

Translation

ఆ దుర్లభమైన మానవజన్మను పొందినవాడు, గర్వం మరియు అసూయను నిజంగా విడిచిపెట్టి, తనను తాను నిత్యం నియమించి అంతఃశాసనంతో జీవిస్తే—అతడే జ్ఞానచక్షువు గల మనిషి.

Word by Word

• tat: that (it)
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• labdhvā: having obtained
• labdhvā: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √labh (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (absolutive/gerund): ‘having obtained’

• mada-mātsaryam: pride and envy
• mada-mātsaryam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mada (प्रातिपदिक) + mātsarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (co-ordinative)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (निपात)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• tyajati: abandons
• tyajati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• mānavaḥ: a man
• mānavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• saṃniyamya: having controlled
• saṃniyamya: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + ni + √yam (धातु) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-भाव)
• Form: ल्यबन्त/क्त्वान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (absolutive): ‘having restrained/controlled’

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• ātmānam: the self
• ātmānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• jñāna-cakṣuḥ: one whose eye is knowledge; the eye of knowledge
• jñāna-cakṣuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता-विशेषण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘ज्ञानस्य चक्षुः’)

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• hi: for/indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (निपात)
• Form: निपात (causal/emphatic particle)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Unspecified (ethical instruction within Revā Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at the Narmadā bank renounces pride and envy; the inner ‘eye of wisdom’ is symbolized as a luminous third-eye-like radiance or a lotus opening at the brow, with ascetic restraint depicted through calm posture and minimal possessions.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True wisdom arises from humility, freedom from envy, and sustained self-restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a specific tirtha in this verse; it supports the Revā Māhātmya’s broader call to purification and right living.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A discipline rather than a rite: saṃniyama (self-control) and steady inner regulation.