Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

तिर्यक्पक्षिस्वरूपेण महायोगी महेश्वरः । एभिः शिवपुराद्विप्र आनीतः स महेश्वरः

Transliteration

tiryakpakṣisvarūpeṇa mahāyogī maheśvaraḥ | ebhiḥ śivapurādvipra ānītaḥ sa maheśvaraḥ

Translation

Maheśvara, der große Yogin, nahm die Gestalt eines Vogels an. O Brāhmaṇa, durch eben diese Wesen wurde Maheśvara aus Śivapura hierher gebracht.

Word by Word

• tiryak-pakṣi-svarūpeṇa: in the form of a bird
• tiryak-pakṣi-svarūpeṇa: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tiryak (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (बहुपद) ‘तिर्यक्-पक्षिणः स्वरूपम्’ = in the form of a bird (animal)

• mahāyogī: the great yogi
• mahāyogī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘महान् योगी’

• maheśvaraḥ: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• maheśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ebhiḥ: by these (ones)
• ebhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• śivapurāt: from Śiva’s city
• śivapurāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivapura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘शिवस्य पुरम्’ (Śiva’s city)

• vipra: O brāhmaṇa
• vipra: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• ānītaḥ: was brought
• ānītaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā + nī (नी धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि ‘brought’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• maheśvaraḥ: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• maheśvaraḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Narmadā-devī (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śivapura-linked Revā-tīrtha (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: vipra/brāhmaṇa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva as a majestic bird (divine pakṣi-rūpa) is escorted by dikpālas from the luminous city/abode of Śiva toward the earthly riverbank; the sage witnesses the revelation with awe.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Śivapura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s freedom (aiśvarya) is shown through his ability to assume any form, sanctifying the place through his manifested presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā region where Śiva is said to be brought/manifest, within Revākhaṇḍa’s tīrtha-topography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse establishes the divine origin and arrival of Maheśvara, supporting later worship practices.