Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

अमरं कण्टकं चक्रुः प्राप्ते कालविपर्यये । तेषां मध्ये महाघोरं जगत्सन्त्रासकारणम्

Transliteration

amaraṃ kaṇṭakaṃ cakruḥ prāpte kālaviparyaye | teṣāṃ madhye mahāghoraṃ jagatsantrāsakāraṇam

Translation

Als die Ordnung der Zeit umgestürzt war, wurden die Amara selbst zu Dornen, zur Quelle der Qual. In ihrer Mitte erschien etwas überaus Schreckliches, das zum Anlass des Entsetzens für die ganze Welt wurde.

Word by Word

• अमरम्: immortal (i.e., for the gods)
• अमरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• कण्टकम्: thorn; trouble, menace
• कण्टकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• चक्रुः: they made
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• प्राप्ते: when (it) had come, upon the arrival
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त (कृदन्त; प्राप् धातोः क्त)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; 'प्राप्ते' इति सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• काल-विपर्यये: in the reversal of time (time of upheaval)
• काल-विपर्यये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + विपर्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमीसम्बद्धम्

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मध्ये: in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• महा-घोरम्: very dreadful
• महा-घोरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (very terrible)

• जगत्-सन्त्रास-कारणम्: a cause of terror to the world
• जगत्-सन्त्रास-कारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्त्रास (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator, likely Sūta-like voice addressing a royal listener)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic atmosphere of inversion: devas become ‘thorns’ to beings; in the center of the assembly a dreadful presence begins to manifest, radiating world-terror.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma and the rhythm of time collapse, even what seems ‘divine’ can become a source of suffering—so refuge should be sought in the Supreme and in dharma rather than in worldly power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) region of the Āvantya Khaṇḍa is the broader sacred setting; this verse introduces a cosmic-vision frame within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual (snāna/dāna/japa) is stated in this verse; it functions as a portent within a larger māhātmya narrative.