Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

ततो विस्मयमापन्नश्चिन्तयन्वै मुहुर्मुहुः । आकाशस्थं ददर्शासौ सामिषं कुररं नृपः

Transliteration

tato vismayamāpannaścintayanvai muhurmuhuḥ | ākāśasthaṃ dadarśāsau sāmiṣaṃ kuraraṃ nṛpaḥ

Translation

Da geriet er in Staunen und sann immer wieder nach. Da sah der König am Himmel einen Kurara, einen Fischadler, der Fleisch trug.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'then/from there')

• विस्मयम्: astonishment
• विस्मयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आपन्नः: having fallen into/stricken with
• आपन्नः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√पद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to nṛpaḥ)

• चिन्तयन्: thinking
• चिन्तयन्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिन्तय् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for emphasis)

• आकाशस्थम्: situated in the sky
• आकाशस्थम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकाश + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (आकाशे स्थितम्)

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सामिषम्: with flesh/meat-bearing
• सामिषम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + आमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (आमिषयुक्तम्)

• कुररम्: osprey/eagle (kurara bird)
• कुररम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhṛgutunga-kunda (contextual)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king looks upward in astonishment; against a bright sky an osprey circles, clutching a bloody morsel; the moment is charged, as if the tīrtha itself is speaking through the omen.

Characters & Entities

• Citrasena (king)
• Kurara (osprey/eagle)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s greatness is often disclosed through striking signs that compel reflection and open the seeker to deeper meaning.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode unfolds at the kuṇḍa tīrtha reached by the king in the Revā-kṣetra account.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is an omen-like narrative moment preceding the tīrtha’s demonstrated power.