Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा देवो वचस्तेषां देवानामातुरात्मनाम् । अचिन्तयद्गरुत्मन्तं शत्रुसङ्घविनाशनम्

Transliteration

śrutvā devo vacasteṣāṃ devānāmāturātmanām | acintayadgarutmantaṃ śatrusaṅghavināśanam

Translation

Hearing the words of those gods, distressed in spirit, the Lord contemplated Garutmān (Garuḍa), the destroyer of the hosts of enemies.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (पूर्वकर्म/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; धातु: श्रु

• देवः: the god (Lord)
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• आतुरात्मनाम्: whose minds were distressed
• आतुरात्मनाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आतुर + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (आतुराः आत्मानः येषाम्); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• अचिन्तयत्: he thought of/considered
• अचिन्तयत्: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• गरुत्मन्तम्: Garutmān (Garuḍa)
• गरुत्मन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुत्मन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषनाम (गरुड)

• शत्रुसङ्घविनाशनम्: destroyer of the host of enemies
• शत्रुसङ्घविनाशनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत्रु + सङ्घ + विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शत्रूणां सङ्घस्य विनाशनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गरुत्मन्तम् इति विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (third-person narration within the chapter)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha (contextual)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The distressed devas petition; the Lord, composed yet resolute, inwardly contemplates Garuḍa—suggesting imminent mobilization for battle.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa (devaḥ, implied)
• Devas
• Garuḍa (Garuṭmān)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In times of crisis, divine remembrance and right means (upāya) arise—dharma is protected through purposeful action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None in this verse; it is a battle-preparation narrative line within Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.