Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

तस्माच्छ्रद्धा प्रकर्तव्या मानवैर्धर्मवत्सलैः । ईशोऽपि श्रद्धया साध्यस्तेन श्रद्धा विशिष्यते

Transliteration

tasmācchraddhā prakartavyā mānavairdharmavatsalaiḥ | īśo'pi śraddhayā sādhyastena śraddhā viśiṣyate

Translation

پس جو انسان دھرم سے محبت رکھتے ہیں انہیں شردھا کو پروان چڑھانا چاہیے؛ کیونکہ ایشور بھی شردھا ہی سے حاصل ہوتا ہے، اسی لیے شردھا سب سے برتر ہے۔

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; हेत्वर्थे अपादान-भावे (ablative sense: “therefore/from that reason”)

• श्रद्धा: faith
• श्रद्धा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular

• प्रकर्तव्या: to be done, should be undertaken
• प्रकर्तव्या: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (तव्यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; gerundive/passive necessity adjective agreeing with श्रद्धा

• मानवैः: by humans
• मानवैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• धर्मवत्सलैः: fond of dharma, devoted to righteousness
• धर्मवत्सलैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental plural; adjective qualifying मानवैः; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्मे वत्सलाः)

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारार्थक-अव्यय (particle: “even/also”)

• श्रद्धया: by faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular

• साध्यः: attainable, can be accomplished
• साध्यः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक; √साध्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicative adjective: “is attainable”

• तेन: therefore, by that
• तेन: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular; “by that/therefore”

• श्रद्धा: faith
• श्रद्धा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular

• विशिष्यते: excels, is distinguished
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; present 3rd sg

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral allegory: a pilgrim plants a seed labeled ‘Śraddhā’ that grows into a luminous tree whose canopy reveals Īśvara; dharma-loving people water it with acts like truth, charity, and worship.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Īśa (Lord)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śraddhā is not optional; it is the central means by which one approaches and realizes the Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified; the teaching functions as a universal rule for all tīrtha and worship in the Revā Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is internal: cultivate śraddhā as a deliberate spiritual practice supporting all dharmic acts.