Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

रेवातटं समासाद्य दानवस्तपसि स्थितः । उग्रं तपश्चचारासौ दारुणं लोमहर्षणम्

Transliteration

revātaṭaṃ samāsādya dānavastapasi sthitaḥ | ugraṃ tapaścacārāsau dāruṇaṃ lomaharṣaṇam

Translation

Am Ufer der Revā angekommen, stellte sich der Dānava in die Askese. Er vollzog ein grimmiges Tapas — hart und in seiner Strenge schaudererregend.

Word by Word

• रेवा-तटम्: the bank of the Revā (Narmadā)
• रेवा-तटम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक) + तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष — 'रेवायाः तटम्'

• समासाद्य: having reached
• समासाद्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive) — 'having reached/approached'

• दानवः: the demon
• दानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'the demon'

• तपसि: in austerity
• तपसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; Locative — 'in austerity'

• स्थितः: remained
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'standing/remaining'

• उग्रम्: fierce
• उग्रम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'tapaḥ'

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object of 'cacāra'

• चचार: practised
• चचार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्ष/परिपूर्ण भूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'performed/practised'

• असौ: that (one), he
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• दारुणम्: terrible
• दारुणम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'tapaḥ' (understood)

• लोमहर्षणम्: hair-raising
• लोमहर्षणम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोम (प्रातिपदिक) + हर्षण (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष — 'लोमानां हर्षणम्' (hair-raising)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the Narmadā’s bank, Andhaka stands immovable in severe austerity—sun overhead, wind rising, animals watching; the scene is awe-inducing and unsettling.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Andhaka (implied)
• Daṇava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrthas like the Revā riverbank are portrayed as power-centers for austerity; intense effort there is spiritually consequential, for good or ill depending on intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā-taṭa (bank of the Revā/Narmadā), within which the Śūlabheda-tīrtha account is situated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) at the Revā bank is described; no specific vow details are given yet.