Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

स्नेहात्ते कथयिष्यामि वार्द्धकेनातिपीडितः । शृण्वन्तु ऋषयः सर्वे तपोनिष्ठा महौजसः

Transliteration

snehātte kathayiṣyāmi vārddhakenātipīḍitaḥ | śṛṇvantu ṛṣayaḥ sarve taponiṣṭhā mahaujasaḥ

Translation

ด้วยความรักต่อท่าน แม้ข้าพเจ้าถูกความชราบีบคั้นอย่างยิ่ง ก็จักเล่าเรื่องนี้ให้ฟัง ขอให้ฤๅษีทั้งปวง ผู้มั่นคงในตบะและเปี่ยมเดชญาณ จงสดับเถิด

Word by Word

• स्नेहात्: from affection; out of love
• स्नेहात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• ते: to you / you (object)
• ते: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कथयिष्यामि: I will narrate/tell
• कथयिष्यामि: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वार्द्धकेन: by old age
• वार्द्धकेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्द्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• अतिपीडितः: greatly afflicted/oppressed
• अतिपीडितः: Karta (Subject; speaker)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-पीडित (कृदन्त; पीड् धातु + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• शृण्वन्तु: let (them) hear
• शृण्वन्तु: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of ऋषयः)

• तपोनिष्ठाः: steadfast in austerity
• तपोनिष्ठाः: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् + निष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तपसि निष्ठा येषाम्/तपः-निष्ठ)

• महौजसः: of great vigor/splendor
• महौजसः: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् + ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (महद् ओजः येषाम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Purāṇic recital setting)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: ṛṣayaḥ (assembly)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aged sage, leaning on a staff, addresses a circle of radiant tapasvin ṛṣis seated on kuśa-grass, inviting them to listen to a sacred account.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis (sages)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred history is transmitted through compassionate narration and reverent listening; śravaṇa itself is a dharmic act that prepares one for receiving tīrtha-māhātmya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the narrative setup for Ravitīrtha’s greatness rather than naming a new site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescription of attentive listening by tapas-endowed sages is implied (śṛṇvantu).