Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

क्रीडन्ती च जलस्थाने तडागे देवसन्निधौ । अन्वेष्या च त्वया राजंस्तस्य मार्गं विजानता

Transliteration

krīḍantī ca jalasthāne taḍāge devasannidhau | anveṣyā ca tvayā rājaṃstasya mārgaṃ vijānatā

Translation

„Sie spielte am Wasserplatz, am Teich nahe der Gegenwart der Gottheit. O König — da du die Wege kennst — musst du nach ihr suchen und ihre Spur erkennen.“

Word by Word

• क्रीडन्ती: playing
• क्रीडन्ती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु) → क्रीडन्ती (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle)

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

• जलस्थाने: in the water-place
• जलस्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलस्थान (प्रातिपदिक; जल + स्थान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तडागे: in the pond
• तडागे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तडाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• देवसन्निधौ: in the presence of the deity
• देवसन्निधौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अन्वेष्या: should be searched for
• अन्वेष्या: Vidhi (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + इष्/एष् (धातु) → अन्वेष्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory)

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

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr̥ (Agent/कर्ता; in obligation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य-प्रयोग), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मार्गम्: path/track
• मार्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विजानता: by (you) knowing/while knowing
• विजानता: Kartr̥-viseshana (Agent qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु) → विजानत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त

Speaker

Narrator (within Revā Khaṇḍa context; exact speaker not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The companions describe the exact spot: a shining pond beside a shrine; in the background, a small temple or deity-marker; the king is urged to search along known paths.

Characters & Entities

• King (Rājan)
• Deva (local deity presence)
• Taḍāga (pond)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes protecting the vulnerable, especially in sacred precincts; authority must act when harm occurs near holy places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred pond (taḍāga) near a deity’s presence is indicated, within the Revā Khaṇḍa landscape; the verse does not give a proper name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the emphasis is on investigation and protection.