Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

मेघमध्ये स्थिता भाभिः सर्वयोषिदनुत्तमा । ततो रुद्रं सुराः सर्वे दैत्याश्च सह दानवैः

Transliteration

meghamadhye sthitā bhābhiḥ sarvayoṣidanuttamā | tato rudraṃ surāḥ sarve daityāśca saha dānavaiḥ

Translation

Mitten in den Wolken stehend, von Glanz umstrahlt, war sie die Unübertroffene unter allen Frauen. Da wandten sich alle Götter—und die Daityas samt den Dānavas—Rudra zu.

Word by Word

• मेघ: cloud
• मेघ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मेघ-मध्ये = ‘in the midst of the cloud’)

• स्थिताः: standing/placed
• स्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject - predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (पाठानुसार ‘स्थिता’)

• भाभिः: with radiances
• भाभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘भा’ = कान्ति/प्रभा (splendours)

• सर्व: all
• सर्व: Visheshana (विशेषण/Member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग

• योषित्: women
• योषित्: Visheshya (विशेष्य/Member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योषित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• अनुत्तमा: the unsurpassed (one)
• अनुत्तमा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject - apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्व-योषित्-अनुत्तमा = ‘unsurpassed among all women’)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then/from that)

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुराः: gods
• सुराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• दैत्याः: daityas
• दैत्याः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject - coordinated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (सहकारी/Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (with)

• दानवैः: dānavas
• दानवैः: Sahakari (सहकारी/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rudra-āśraya (Śiva as tīrtha-lord within Revā-khaṇḍa frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The maiden stands radiant within clouds; below, assembled devas and daityas collectively turn their bodies and folded hands toward Rudra, anticipating his judgment.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Devas
• Daityas
• Dānavas
• the divine maiden

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even rival powers seek a higher divine authority to settle disputes; Rudra appears as the adjudicating center beyond factional conflict.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Revā (Narmadā) Mahātmya, but this verse itself does not name a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.