Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

शुश्रूषन्ति सदा तस्य पुत्राः पञ्च प्रयत्नतः । तस्य पुत्रः कनीयांस्तु ऋक्षशृङ्गो महातपाः

Transliteration

śuśrūṣanti sadā tasya putrāḥ pañca prayatnataḥ | tasya putraḥ kanīyāṃstu ṛkṣaśṛṅgo mahātapāḥ

Translation

บุตรทั้งห้าของท่านคอยปรนนิบัติรับใช้ท่านอยู่เสมอด้วยความเพียรพยายาม ในบรรดาบุตรเหล่านั้น ผู้เยาว์ที่สุดคือ “ฤกษศฤงคะ” ผู้เป็นมหาตบัสวี

Word by Word

• शुश्रूषन्ति: they serve, attend upon
• शुश्रूषन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुश्रूष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; 'पुत्राः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort, diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (adverb: 'with effort')

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कनीयान्: younger
• कनीयान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कनीयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'but/indeed')

• ऋक्षशृङ्गः: Ṛkṣaśṛṅga (name)
• ऋक्षशृङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ऋक्षशृङ्गः = ऋक्षस्य शृङ्गम्/शृङ्गः (तत्पुरुष; नाम)

• महातपाः: great ascetic
• महातपाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस्/तप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: महत् तपो यस्य सः

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (deduced from immediate narrative context in Revā Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mandāraka āśrama (associated with Ṛkṣaśṛṅga)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Five sons stand or kneel in service around their father; the youngest, Ṛkṣaśṛṅga, is shown with ascetic marks and a distinct aura, hinting at future renown.

Characters & Entities

• Dīrghatapas
• Ṛkṣaśṛṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to elders and teachers (śuśrūṣā) is portrayed as a foundational dharma that supports ascetic greatness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mandāraka āśrama-region within Revā Khaṇḍa, where this rishi family resides.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; the emphasis is on disciplined service and ascetic character.