Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

वर्जयित्वा तथा द्रोहवञ्चनादि नृपोत्तम । साधुवेषं समास्थाय विनयेन विभूषितः

Transliteration

varjayitvā tathā drohavañcanādi nṛpottama | sādhuveṣaṃ samāsthāya vinayena vibhūṣitaḥ

Translation

ข้าแต่มหากษัตริย์ผู้ประเสริฐ ครั้นละทิ้งความพยาบาท การหลอกลวง และสิ่งทั้งปวงเช่นนั้นแล้ว พึงตั้งมั่นในกิริยาและครรลองของสาธุชน อันประดับด้วยความอ่อนน้อมถ่อมตน

Word by Word

• वर्जयित्वा: having avoided
• वर्जयित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having avoided)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: likewise/thus)

• द्रोहवञ्चनादि: treachery, deception, etc.
• द्रोहवञ्चनादि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोह (प्रातिपदिक) + वञ्चना (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (द्रोहश्च वञ्चना च) + आदि-समाहार

• नृपोत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उत्तमो नृपः)

• साधुवेषम्: the attire of a holy man
• साधुवेषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक) + वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (साधोः वेषः)

• समास्थाय: having adopted
• समास्थाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having assumed/adopted)

• विनयेन: with humility
• विनयेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental: with humility)

• विभूषितः: adorned
• विभूषितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + √भूष् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle: adorned)

Speaker

Unspecified (Revā Khaṇḍa narrative voice, addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpottama (best of kings)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A kingly figure (or pilgrim) removes symbols of pride, dons simple sādhu attire, and walks with lowered gaze and folded hands, turning away from scenes of quarrel and deceit.

Characters & Entities

• Sādhu (ideal conduct)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage must be supported by moral purification—renouncing harm and deception, and cultivating humility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified; it is a general rule for tīrtha-yātrā conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ethical prescriptions: abandon droha (malice) and vañcana (deceit); adopt sādhū-like conduct with vinaya (humility).