Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

एतद्विस्तरतः सर्वं ब्रूहि मे वदतां वर । कल्पान्ते यद्भवेत्कष्टं लोकानां तत्त्वमेव च

Transliteration

etadvistarataḥ sarvaṃ brūhi me vadatāṃ vara | kalpānte yadbhavetkaṣṭaṃ lokānāṃ tattvameva ca

Translation

Expose-moi tout cela en détail, ô le meilleur des orateurs : la détresse qui s’abat sur les mondes à la fin d’un kalpa, et le principe véritable qui s’y tient.

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• vistarataḥ: in detail
• vistarataḥ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vistara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययम् (adverbial ablatival form): ‘in detail/at length’

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular); ‘all’ qualifying etat

• brūhi: tell (me)
• brūhi: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपदम् (Parasmaipada), मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• me: to me
• me: Sampradāna (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचनम् (Genitive/Dative singular enclitic); here दत्त-सम्प्रदानार्थे (Dative sense)

• vadatām: of speakers
• vadatām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vad (धातु) → vadat (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचनम् (Plural); शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्तः: ‘of those who speak’

• vara: O best (one)
• vara: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• kalpānte: at the end of the kalpa
• kalpānte: Adhikaraṇa (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative, 7th), एकवचनम् (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kalpasya antaḥ)

• yat: which (that which)
• yat: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative, 1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• bhavet: may occur / would happen
• bhavet: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-रूपम् (Optative/benedictive sense in context), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• kaṣṭam: hardship / calamity
• kaṣṭam: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative, 1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• lokānām: of the worlds/people
• lokānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• tattvam: the truth/essence
• tattvam: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• eva: indeed / exactly
• eva: Nipāta (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadeya context (prelude to kalpa/pralaya explanation)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The responding sage/brāhmaṇa (vaktṛ-śreṣṭha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira requests a full exposition: scenes of cosmic dissolution hinted—darkened skies, drying rivers, then renewal—while the sage prepares to teach the tattva behind kalpānta suffering.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kalpānta
• Lokāḥ (worlds)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇas teach not only events but their tattva (inner meaning); understanding cosmic dissolution supports detachment and dharma-grounded living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it frames the doctrinal and cosmological setting within the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is a request for detailed teaching about kalpānta and its underlying truth.