Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

गणास्तालकसंपातैर्नृत्यन्ति च मुदान्विताः । अकस्माद्दृश्यते कन्या शंकरस्य समीपगा

Transliteration

gaṇāstālakasaṃpātairnṛtyanti ca mudānvitāḥ | akasmāddṛśyate kanyā śaṃkarasya samīpagā

Translation

Śiva’s gaṇas, filled with joy, danced to the beating and clashing of time-keeping instruments. Suddenly, the maiden was seen standing near Śaṅkara.

Word by Word

• गणाः: the attendants (gaṇas)
• गणाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• तालकसंपातैः: with claps/strikes (rhythmic beats)
• तालकसंपातैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तालक + संपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'clapping/striking-falls/impacts')

• नृत्यन्ति: they dance
• नृत्यन्ति: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• मुदान्विताः: filled with joy
• मुदान्विताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of गणाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुदा + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'endowed with joy')

• अकस्मात्: suddenly
• अकस्मात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अकस्मात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आकस्मिकता-वाचक (adverb: suddenly)

• दृश्यते: is seen, appears
• दृश्यते: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• कन्या: the maiden
• कन्या: Karta (Subject; of passive appearance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• शंकरस्य: of Śaṅkara
• शंकरस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• समीपगा: nearby, close (to him)
• समीपगा: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of कन्या)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समीप + गा (प्रातिपदिक; गा = गम्-धातुज)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'gone to/being near')

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (narrating within Revā Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-associated Śaiva tirtha ambience

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva’s gaṇas dance exuberantly, clashing tāla instruments; dust and flower petals swirl; at the center, Śaṅkara stands serene, and suddenly the maiden appears close to him, shifting the crowd from revelry to astonishment.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇas
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Kanyā (future Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The birth of a tīrtha is celebrated as a cosmic event—where devotion, rhythm, and divine presence converge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) is being revealed in proximity to Śiva, grounding the river’s sanctity in direct divine association.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the verse depicts auspicious celebration around Śiva, a common purāṇic marker of holiness.