Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

सवाक्पतिमहेशाश्च नष्टचित्ताः पितामहम् । गता देवा ब्रह्मलोकं तत्र दृष्ट्वा पितामहम्

Transliteration

savākpatimaheśāśca naṣṭacittāḥ pitāmaham | gatā devā brahmalokaṃ tatra dṛṣṭvā pitāmaham

Translation

Zusammen mit Vākpati (Bṛhaspati) und Maheśa, im verwirrten Geist, begaben sich die Götter nach Brahmaloka; dort erblickten sie Pitāmaha (Brahmā).

Word by Word

• स: they
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• वाक्पति: lord of speech (Bṛhaspati)
• वाक्पति: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

• महेशाः: great lords
• महेशाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्

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

• नष्टचित्ताः: with minds lost; bewildered
• नष्टचित्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट (कृदन्त; √नश् (धातु) क्त) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past participle adjective)

• पितामहम्: the Grandfather (Brahmā)
• पितामहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचनम्

• गताः: having gone / went
• गताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु) + क्त (गत)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; (finite sense: ‘went’)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्

• ब्रह्मलोकम्: to Brahmā’s world
• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• पितामहम्: Brahmā
• पितामहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) narrative frame

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: O king (avani-pati) addressed in nearby verses; broader audience of sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of devas—led by Bṛhaspati (Vākpati) and accompanied by Maheśa—ascends to luminous Brahmaloka; their faces show worry as they behold four-faced Brahmā seated on a lotus.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Vākpati (Bṛhaspati)
• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Brahmaloka
• Pitāmaha (Brahmā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When overwhelmed, even the mighty seek higher counsel—symbolizing surrender, consultation, and restoration of right order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; it continues the narrative framework that will culminate in the tīrtha’s founding and praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.