Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

भवतश्छिद्रमासाद्य घोरेऽस्मिन्सलिलावृते । पूर्वकल्पसमुद्भूतावसुरौ सुरदुर्जयौ

Transliteration

bhavataśchidramāsādya ghore'sminsalilāvṛte | pūrvakalpasamudbhūtāvasurau suradurjayau

Translation

Hallando una abertura en tu momento desguarnecido, en esta pavorosa extensión cubierta de aguas, surgieron dos asuras nacidos de un kalpa anterior, invencibles incluso para los dioses.

Word by Word

• भवतः: of you
• भवतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• छिद्रम्: a flaw/opening
• छिद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• आसाद्य: having found/obtained
• आसाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + सद् (धातु) → आसाद्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावरूप कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• घोरे: in this dreadful
• घोरे: Adhikarana (Locus)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying अस्मिन्)

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; संकेतवाचक सर्वनाम

• सलिलावृते: covered with water
• सलिलावृते: Adhikarana (Locus)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सलिल + आवृत (प्रातिपदिक: सलिलावृत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सलिलेन आवृतः) + क्त-कृदन्त

• पूर्वकल्पसमुद्भूतौ: arisen in a former aeon
• पूर्वकल्पसमुद्भूतौ: Visheshana (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व + कल्प + सम् + उद् + भू (धातु) → समुद्भूत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (पूर्वे कल्पे समुद्भूतौ) क्त-कृदन्त

• असुरौ: two asuras
• असुरौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• सुरदुर्जयौ: hard for the gods to defeat
• सुरदुर्जयौ: Visheshana (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुर + दुर्जय (प्रातिपदिक: सुरदुर्जय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुरैः दुर्जयौ = hard for gods to conquer)

Speaker

Narmadā continuing her account

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rudra/Īśvara

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From the dark, water-covered dread expanse, two formidable asuras from a prior kalpa arise, seizing the opportunity of an unguarded moment; the scene is charged with impending conflict.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Asuras (two)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic teaching emphasizes that disorder exploits negligence, but dharma is ultimately re-established through divine agency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse is cosmological, embedded within the Revā Khaṇḍa frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.