Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

जप्त्वा चैकाक्षरं ब्रह्म हृदि ध्यात्वा महेश्वरम् । स्नात्वा च मन्त्रपूताभिरथ चाद्भिर्जितव्रताः

Transliteration

japtvā caikākṣaraṃ brahma hṛdi dhyātvā maheśvaram | snātvā ca mantrapūtābhiratha cādbhirjitavratāḥ

Translation

ایک حرفی برہمن (بیج منتر) کا جپ کر کے، دل میں مہیشور کا دھیان باندھ کر، اور منتر سے پاک کیے ہوئے پانیوں میں اشنان کر کے—وَرت پر قائم و ثابت قدم لوگ یوں تیار ہوئے۔

Word by Word

• जप्त्वा: having recited
• जप्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्तः (gerund): ‘having recited’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• एकाक्षरम्: single-syllabled
• एकाक्षरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयार्थः: ‘एकम् अक्षरम्’ = ‘single-syllabled’

• ब्रह्म: Brahman / the sacred syllable
• ब्रह्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; here: sacred syllable/mantra (e.g., oṃ)

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचनम्; ‘in the heart’

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated on
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्तः: ‘having meditated (upon)’

• महेश्वरम्: Maheshvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः: ‘महान् ईश्वरः’

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्तः: ‘having bathed’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• मन्त्रपूताभिः: with (waters) purified by mantra
• मन्त्रपूताभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पूत (पू (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (agreeing with ‘अद्भिः’ understood), तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः: ‘मन्त्रेण पूताः’ = ‘purified by mantra’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequencer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (particle/adverb): ‘then/thereupon’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• अद्भिः: with waters
• अद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/अद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (ap-शब्दः), तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; ‘with waters’

• जितव्रताः: those of disciplined vows
• जितव्रताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (जि (धातु)+क्त) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘जितं व्रतं यैः’ = ‘whose vows are mastered/observed’

Speaker

Narrator (describing the sages’ preparatory rites in the Revā Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ascetics stand at the riverbank in disciplined posture: some with closed eyes in heart-meditation, lips moving in japa; then they step into the water, sprinkling and bathing as if the water itself glows with mantra.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Ekākṣara (single-syllable mantra)
• Mantra
• Snāna (ritual bath)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity arises from a combined discipline of mantra-japa, inner meditation on Śiva, and sacred bathing—uniting yoga and tīrtha practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā waters as mantra-purified bathing waters within the Revā Khaṇḍa sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform ekākṣara-japa, meditate on Maheśvara in the heart, and undertake snāna in waters sanctified by mantra while observing vows.