Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

संप्रनृत्यति संहृष्टो मृत्युना सह शङ्करः । खट्वाङ्गैरुल्मुकैश्चैव पट्टिशैः परिघैस्तथा

Transliteration

saṃpranṛtyati saṃhṛṣṭo mṛtyunā saha śaṅkaraḥ | khaṭvāṅgairulmukaiścaiva paṭṭiśaiḥ parighaistathā

Translation

Śaṅkara, voll Entzücken, tanzt zusammen mit Mṛtyu (dem Tod). Und dort sind auch Khaṭvāṅgas, lodernde Brandfackeln, Streitäxte und eiserne Keulen.

Word by Word

• संप्रनृत्यति: dances vigorously
• संप्रनृत्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• संहृष्टः: delighted/overjoyed
• संहृष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + हृष् (धातु) → संहृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) विशेषणवत्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मृत्युना: with Mṛtyu (Death personified)
• मृत्युना: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (postposition)

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• खट्वाङ्गैः: with clubs (khaṭvāṅgas)
• खट्वाङ्गैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खट्वाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• उल्मुकैः: with firebrands
• उल्मुकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उल्मुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• पट्टिशैः: with axes/hatchets
• पट्टिशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पट्टिश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• परिघैः: with iron bars/bludgeons
• परिघैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Connector/Adverbial (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (also/likewise)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; describing Śiva’s fierce dance)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Amaraṃkaṭa (Amarkantak)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śaṅkara dances in ecstatic tāṇḍava with Mṛtyu beside him; the scene is ringed by fierce attendants brandishing khaṭvāṅgas, flaming brands, axes, and iron clubs—an awe-inspiring, protective storm of divinity.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Mṛtyu (Death)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s supremacy includes mastery over death; the fierce dance teaches detachment and refuge in the Lord beyond mortality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within the Revā Khaṇḍa’s Amaraṃkaṭa setting, the site is implied as a stage of Śiva’s eternal, awe-inspiring presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is iconographic narration emphasizing Rudra’s power.