Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

कल्पक्षयकरे काले काले घोरे विशेषतः । उत्तरं कूलमाश्रित्य निवसन्ति च ये नराः

Transliteration

kalpakṣayakare kāle kāle ghore viśeṣataḥ | uttaraṃ kūlamāśritya nivasanti ca ye narāḥ

Translation

At the time that brings the end of an aeon—especially in dreadful times—those people who take refuge on the northern bank and dwell there…

Word by Word

• कल्पक्षयकरे: in the time that causes the destruction of the aeon
• कल्पक्षयकरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्प-क्षय-कर (प्रातिपदिक; कर = √कृ (धातु) + अ प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (locative absolute sense with kāle)

• काले: in (that) time
• काले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• काले: in the time (indeed)
• काले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• घोरे: terrible
• घोरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (kāle)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय; विशेष + तस्)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner/emphasis)

• उत्तरम्: northern
• उत्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (kūlam)

• कूलम्: bank/shore
• कूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having taken refuge in / having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: None
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√श्रि (धातु) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having resorted to)

• निवसन्ति: they dwell
• निवसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

Speaker

Śiva (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) — Uttara-kūla-vāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī/Umā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dark, stormy ‘ghora-kāla’ sky suggesting pralaya; seekers gather on the Narmadā’s northern bank under sacred trees, lamps and water-offerings glowing; the river appears as a luminous goddess protecting the shore.

Characters & Entities

• Northern bank (uttara-kūla) of Narmadā (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In times of fear and decline, dharmic refuge in a sanctified landscape is portrayed as spiritually and existentially protective.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The northern bank (uttara-kūla) associated with Narmadā’s sacred zone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Āśraya (taking refuge) and nivāsa (dwelling) at the tīrtha-region are recommended as a protective spiritual practice.