Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

अतितेजोरवेर्दृष्ट्वा राज्ञी देवी नरोत्तम । चचार मेरुकान्तारे वडवा तप उल्बणम्

Transliteration

atitejoraverdṛṣṭvā rājñī devī narottama | cacāra merukāntāre vaḍavā tapa ulbaṇam

Translation

Als die göttliche Königin den übermäßigen Glanz der Sonne erblickte, o Bester der Menschen, wanderte sie in den Waldgegenden des Meru umher und übte strenge Tapas in der Gestalt einer Stute.

Word by Word

• अतितेजः: exceedingly radiant
• अतितेजः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अतिशयितं तेजः)

• रवेः: of the Sun
• रवेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकाले कृतम्—‘दृष्ट्वा’ = having seen

• राज्ञी: the queen
• राज्ञी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्ञी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• देवी: the goddess (lady)
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; राज्ञ्याः विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• नर-उत्तम: O best of men
• नर-उत्तम: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; संबोधनपदम्

• चचार: wandered
• चचार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परोक्षभूत (perfect)

• मेरु-कान्तारे: in the forest of Meru
• मेरु-कान्तारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक) + कान्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (स्थान)

• वडवा: the mare (in mare-form)
• वडवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वडवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृपद (राज्ञी-देवी एव)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• उल्बणम्: intense
• उल्बणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उल्बण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘तपः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Meru-kāntāra (mythic tapas-kṣetra)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine queen, transformed into a mare, roams a luminous, otherworldly forest at Meru’s slopes; the Sun’s radiance is oppressive, bathing the scene in gold-white glare; ascetic intensity is shown through stillness amid blazing light.

Characters & Entities

• Ravi (Sūrya)
• Devī Rājñī (queen, unnamed in snippet)
• Meru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When divine power becomes overwhelming, Purāṇic narratives often teach restraint and transformation through tapas, showing austerity as a means of cosmic balance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter overall introduces Āśvina Tīrtha, but this verse shifts to mythic geography—Meru—within the explanatory backstory.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual is prescribed; it describes intense tapas undertaken in a particular form (vaḍavā).