Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

योजनानां सहस्राणि सहस्राणां शतानि च । दिशो दश महाघोरा मांसमेदोवसोत्कटाः

Transliteration

yojanānāṃ sahasrāṇi sahasrāṇāṃ śatāni ca | diśo daśa mahāghorā māṃsamedovasotkaṭāḥ

Translation

Über Tausende und Hunderttausende von Yojanas hinweg erschienen die zehn Himmelsrichtungen überaus schrecklich, voll von Fleisch, Fett und Talg.

Word by Word

• योजनानाम्: of yojanas (units of distance)
• योजनानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Visheshya (Head noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; परिमाणवाचकम्

• सहस्राणाम्: of thousands
• सहस्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Visheshya (Head noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; परिमाणवाचकम्

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

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; ‘दिशः’ इति विशेष्यस्य संख्या-विशेषणम्

• महाघोराः: very terrible
• महाघोराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाघोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘दिशः’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• मांसमेदोवसोत्कटाः: reeking/abounding in flesh, fat, and grease
• मांसमेदोवसोत्कटाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मांस + मेदस् + वसा + उत्कट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘दिशः’ इति विशेष्यस्य; (मांस-मेदो-वसा) इति समाहार-द्वन्द्वपूर्वकं ‘उत्कट’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King addressed as राजेन्द्र (in surrounding verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The ten directions stretch for innumerable yojanas, transformed into a dreadful, visceral landscape—thick, greasy, flesh-like textures—suggesting a cosmic charnel vision around the gaping divine mouth.

Characters & Entities

• Ten directions (Daśa diśaḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When the cosmic power manifests, ordinary reality is overturned—prompting humility and refuge in dharma and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it continues the descriptive narrative of a terrifying cosmic vision.