Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

गोरूपेण विभोर्वाक्यात्त्वत्सकाशमिहागता । मा मृषावचनः शम्भुर्भवेदिति च सत्वरा

Transliteration

gorūpeṇa vibhorvākyāttvatsakāśamihāgatā | mā mṛṣāvacanaḥ śambhurbhavediti ca satvarā

Translation

Tomando la forma de una vaca y por mandato del Señor, he venido aquí a ti—con presteza—para que la palabra de Śambhu no resulte falsa.

Word by Word

• गो-रूपेण: in the form of a cow
• गो-रूपेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; components: गो + रूप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘गोः रूपम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• विभोः: of the Lord
• विभोः: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• वाक्यात्: from the command/statement
• वाक्यात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• त्वत्-सकाशम्: to your presence, near you
• त्वत्-सकाशम्: Gati/Goal (Destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वत्-सकाश (प्रातिपदिक; components: त्वत् + सकाश)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘त्वत्’ (2nd person genitive base) + ‘सकाश’ = ‘near you’

• इह: here
• इह: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• आगता: (I) have come
• आगता: Kriyā (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √गम् (धातु) + क्त → आगत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘has come’

• मा: not
• मा: Pratiṣedha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक निपात (prohibitive/negative)

• मृषा-वचनः: one whose word is false
• मृषा-वचनः: Viśeṣaṇa (of शम्भुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृषा-वचन (प्रातिपदिक; components: मृषा + वचन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मृषा एव वचनम्’ इति कर्मधारय

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिव-नाम

• भवेत्: would be / should become
• भवेत्: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सत्वरा: quickly, hastily
• सत्वरा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोगः (as adverbial adjective)

Speaker

Unspecified (deduced: the same divine being, now describing her cow-form mission)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā (episode-site)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The addressed agent at the scene (the one who can act to save the brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous cow appears suddenly by divine command; the narrative stresses speed and purpose: to ensure Śambhu’s statement does not become false. The cow is not ordinary—its presence radiates divinity.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s promise is inviolable; divine agents act to uphold Śiva’s truth and protect dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā sacred region is the narrative setting, central to Revā-khaṇḍa’s tīrtha-glorification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is given; the emphasis is on faith in Śiva’s word and swift dharmic action.