Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णं चक्रवाकोपशोभितम् । आडीकाकबलाकाभिः सेवितं कोकिलादिभिः

Transliteration

haṃsakāraṇḍavākīrṇaṃ cakravākopaśobhitam | āḍīkākabalākābhiḥ sevitaṃ kokilādibhiḥ

Translation

সেই বন হংস ও কারণ্ডব পাখিতে পরিপূর্ণ ছিল, চক্রবাক পাখিতে শোভিত ছিল, এবং আডীকা, বলাকা (বক) ও কোকিল প্রভৃতি পাখিরা সেখানে বিচরণ করত।

Word by Word

• हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णम्: filled with swans and kāraṇḍavas (ducks)
• हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण्डव (प्रातिपदिक) + √कॄ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘कीर्ण’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (हंस-कारण्डव) इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वसमासः + कीर्णम्

• चक्रवाकोपशोभितम्: beautified by cakravāka birds
• चक्रवाकोपशोभितम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चक्रवाक (प्रातिपदिक) + उप (उपसर्ग) + √शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘शोभित’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः (‘चक्रवाकैः उपशोभितम्’ = adorned by cakravāka birds)

• आडीकाकबलाकाभिः: with āḍīkāka-birds and herons/cranes
• आडीकाकबलाकाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आडीकाक (प्रातिपदिक) + बलाका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (बलाका), तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वसमासः

• सेवितम्: frequented/inhabited
• सेवितम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √सेव् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कोकिलादिभिः: by cuckoos and other (birds)
• कोकिलादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोकिल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’समासः (समाहार/गणवाचक): ‘कोकिल-आदि’ = cuckoos and others

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual deduction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīra sarovara/taḍāga environs (general)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lotus-pond alive with swans, kāraṇḍava ducks, and cakravāka pairs; herons stand at the edge; cuckoos call from nearby trees; morning light glints on water.

Characters & Entities

• Haṃsa
• Kāraṇḍava
• Cakravāka
• Balākā
• Kokila

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic place is marked by harmony—creatures dwell without fear, and the environment itself becomes auspicious.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The lakes and groves of the sacred āśrama-forest in the Vindhya setting of Revākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse establishes the tīrtha-like serenity and sanctity of the locale through natural imagery.