Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

वाचिकैर्मानसैश्च वा कर्मजैरपि पातकैः । पिण्डिकां चाप्यवष्टभ्य याम्यामाशां च संस्थितः

Transliteration

vācikairmānasaiśca vā karmajairapi pātakaiḥ | piṇḍikāṃ cāpyavaṣṭabhya yāmyāmāśāṃ ca saṃsthitaḥ

Translation

แม้ผู้ใดจะมัวหมองด้วยบาปอันเกิดจากวาจา ใจ หรือการกระทำ—เมื่ออาศัยปิณฑิกาเป็นที่พึ่ง แล้วตั้งกายหันสู่ทิศใต้ยามยะ

Word by Word

• वाचिकैः: by verbal (acts)
• वाचिकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाचिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; adjective used instrumentally = "by/with verbal (sins)"

• मानसैः: by mental (acts)
• मानसैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; adjective used instrumentally = "by mental (sins)"

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-बोधक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• कर्मजैः: by action-born
• कर्मजैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मज (प्रातिपदिक; कर्म + ज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्मणः जाताः) = "born of actions"

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-बोधक अव्यय (also/even)

• पातकैः: by sins
• पातकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrument of affliction/means

• पिण्डिकाम्: a lump/ball (piṇḍikā)
• पिण्डिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्डिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-बोधक अव्यय (also/even)

• अवष्टभ्य: having supported/held
• अवष्टभ्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√स्तम्भ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; "having supported/held"

• याम्याम्: southern (Yama’s)
• याम्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; modifies आशाम्

• आशाम्: direction/quarter
• आशाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• संस्थितः: standing/situated
• संस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; "standing/being situated"

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Piṇḍikā (Revā-tīrtha)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa / nṛpanandana (king/prince)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A penitent pilgrim at the Narmadā bank near a stone/earthen Piṇḍikā marker, standing south-facing in twilight, hands folded, preparing for rites; river, śmaśāna-like quiet, and Śiva’s unseen presence implied.

Characters & Entities

• Piṇḍikā (named sacred locus)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha is portrayed as a remedy even for deep, multi-source wrongdoing—speech, mind, and deed—when approached with correct observance.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

A locale featuring “Piṇḍikā,” treated as a ritual support/spot within the described tīrtha complex.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Assume a specific posture/position: take support of Piṇḍikā and stand oriented toward the southern quarter (yāmya diś).