Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

सप्ताष्टभूमिसुद्वारे दासीदाससमाकुले । मत्तमातङ्गनिःश्वासैर्वाजिहेषितनादितैः

Transliteration

saptāṣṭabhūmisudvāre dāsīdāsasamākule | mattamātaṅganiḥśvāsairvājiheṣitanāditaiḥ

Translation

With splendid gateways rising through seven or eight storeys, thronged with maidservants and attendants, it resounds with the breathings of intoxicated elephants and the neighing cries of horses.

Word by Word

• सप्त-अष्ट-भूमि-सु-द्वारे: in (a place) with an excellent gate of seven/eight storeys
• सप्त-अष्ट-भूमि-सु-द्वारे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक) + सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण—बहुस्तरीय-भूमियुक्तं सुद्वारम् (द्वारं)

• दासी-दास-समाकुले: crowded with maidservants and servants
• दासी-दास-समाकुले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दासी (प्रातिपदिक) + दास (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-भाव, 'crowded')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (दासी च दासः च) + तत्पुरुष (तेन समाकुलम्)

• मत्त-मातङ्ग-निःश्वासैः: by the breaths of intoxicated elephants
• मत्त-मातङ्ग-निःश्वासैः: Sahakaraka (Instrument/साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक) + मातङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + निःश्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; 'मत्तमातङ्गानां निःश्वासैः'

• वाजि-हेषित-नादितैः: by (sounds) made resounding with horses’ neighing
• वाजि-हेषित-नादितैः: Sahakaraka (Instrument/साधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाजि (प्रातिपदिक) + हेषित (कृदन्त, √हृष्/हेष्?; 'neighing') + नादित (कृदन्त, √नद्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भे तृतीया बहुवचन), तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण—'वाजिहेषितेन नादितैः' (resounded by neighing)

Speaker

Narrator in Revā Khaṇḍa (deduced: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa-like purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A towering multi-storeyed palace gate (seven or eight levels) with splendid doors; crowds of attendants; nearby intoxicated elephants exhale loudly; horses neigh; the whole entrance vibrates with life.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (contextual)
• Elephants
• Horses

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-merit is depicted as transforming one’s destiny, granting abundance and elevated living as a secondary fruit of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā sacred region as praised in the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual act is stated here; the verse continues a description of the फल (result) promised by the māhātmya.