Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

शृङ्खलायुधहस्तैश्च पाशैश्चैव सुदारुणैः । वेष्टितं महिषारूढं नरं पश्यति मन्मुखम्

Transliteration

śṛṅkhalāyudhahastaiśca pāśaiścaiva sudāruṇaiḥ | veṣṭitaṃ mahiṣārūḍhaṃ naraṃ paśyati manmukham

Translation

يرى أمامه رجلاً راكبًا جاموسًا، يحيط به أتباع بأيديهم سلاسل وأسلحة، ومعهم أَشْرِكَةٌ قاسيةٌ مُفزِعة؛ حضورٌ مشؤومٌ يواجهه وجهًا لوجه.

Word by Word

• शृङ्खला-आयुध-हस्तैः: with hands holding chains and weapons
• शृङ्खला-आयुध-हस्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्खला (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शृङ्खलायुधयोः हस्ताः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पाशैः: with nooses
• पाशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सुदारुणैः: very dreadful
• सुदारुणैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्—पाशैः/हस्तैः इत्यस्य

• वेष्टितम्: bound/encircled
• वेष्टितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—नरम्

• महिष-आरूढम्: mounted on a buffalo
• महिष-आरूढम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक) + आरूढ (कृदन्त; √रुह् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-समासः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—सप्तमी/उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (महिषे आरूढः)

• नरम्: a man
• नरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• पश्यति: sees
• पश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• मत्-मुखम्: my face
• मत्-मुखम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मम मुखम्)

Speaker

Unknown (Revā Khaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience within Revā Khaṇḍa frame (unspecified in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A terrifying figure mounted on a buffalo advances head-on; attendants encircle him with chains, weapons, and nooses, creating a tightening ring around the mortal observer.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse uses fearsome imagery to stress accountability: harmful actions invite binding consequences symbolized by chains and nooses.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is named; the focus is an afterlife warning within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a descriptive vision meant to deter adharma.