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

Vor ihm erblickt er einen Mann, auf einem Büffel reitend, umringt von Dienern mit Ketten und Waffen und von grimmigen Schlingen—eine unheilvolle Erscheinung, die ihm direkt gegenübersteht.

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.