Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

बाणासुरप्रभृतिभिर्जम्भशुम्भपुरोगमैः । वध्यमाना ह्यनेकैश्च ब्रह्माणं शरणं गताः

Transliteration

bāṇāsuraprabhṛtibhirjambhaśumbhapurogamaiḥ | vadhyamānā hyanekaiśca brahmāṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ

Translation

Von vielen bedrängt und niedergestreckt—angeführt von Bāṇāsura und begleitet von Jambha und Śumbha—nahmen die Devas Zuflucht bei Brahmā.

Word by Word

• बाणासुरप्रभृतिभिः: by (those) beginning with Bāṇāsura
• बाणासुरप्रभृतिभिः: Karana (Agent/Instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाणासुर-प्रभृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (बाणासुरः प्रभृतिः येषां ते) ‘बाणासुरादिभिः’

• जम्भशुम्भपुरोगमैः: with Jambha and Śumbha as leaders
• जम्भशुम्भपुरोगमैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जम्भ-शुम्भ-पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद + तत्पुरुषार्थः: ‘जम्भशुम्भौ पुरोगमौ येषां ते’

• वध्यमानाः: being slain/attacked
• वध्यमानाः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-विशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकर्मणि कृदन्त (Present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘वध्यन्ते’ इत्यर्थः

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• अनेकैः: by many (others)
• अनेकैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (बाणासुरप्रभृतिभिः इत्यादि)

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

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Karma (Goal/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘शरणं गम्’ इति क्रियायोगे गत्यर्थकर्म

• गताः: went, resorted
• गताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (Past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘गच्छितवन्तः’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Revā Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jāleśvara (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍunandana

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas, wounded and anxious, approach Brahmā’s luminous court; in the background loom asura leaders—Bāṇāsura, Jambha, Śumbha—suggested through banners and fierce silhouettes.

Characters & Entities

• Bāṇāsura
• Jambha
• Śumbha
• Brahmā
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When overpowered by adharma, the devas model śaraṇāgati—humble refuge in a higher divine order rather than prideful self-reliance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is narrative setup within the Revā Khaṇḍa (Narmadā/Revā region); it does not name a specific tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it focuses on the devas’ flight and taking refuge.