Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

तानहं प्रत्युवाचेदं मा भैष्टेति पुनःपुनः । ईदृग्विधा मया दृष्टा बहवः कालपर्ययाः

Transliteration

tānahaṃ pratyuvācedaṃ mā bhaiṣṭeti punaḥpunaḥ | īdṛgvidhā mayā dṛṣṭā bahavaḥ kālaparyayāḥ

Translation

Je leur répondis maintes fois : «N’ayez pas peur.» J’ai vu bien des retournements et des renversements du temps semblables à celui-ci.

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• प्रत्युवाच: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), तृतीयपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वाक्यवस्तु-निर्देश (this [speech])

• मा: do not
• मा: Sambandha/Particle (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक निपात (prohibitive particle)

• भैष्ट: fear
• भैष्ट: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; निषेध ‘मा’ सह = ‘do not fear’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Particle (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• पुनः: again and again
• पुनः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb); पुनःपुनः = पुनरुक्ति (reduplication)

• ईदृक्: such
• ईदृक्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश्/ईदृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-विशेषण (indeclinable-like adjective stem used in compound)

• विधाः: kinds, types
• विधाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः: ईदृग्-विधाः (कर्मधारय: ‘such kinds’)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• दृष्टाः: seen
• दृष्टाः: Kriyā (Passive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (passive sense: ‘were seen’)

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• कालपर्ययाः: changes of time, cycles
• कालपर्ययाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालपर्यय (प्रातिपदिक: काल + पर्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: कालस्य पर्ययाः (changes/turns of time)

Speaker

Unspecified first-person narrator within Revā Khaṇḍa (addressing the Ṛṣis)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) (contextual)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijas/companions

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A composed elder/sage raises a hand in abhaya-mudrā, speaking to a gathered group; behind them, the world shows signs of transition—dim sun, drifting ash—yet the sage’s face is calm and luminous.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fear dissolves when one understands time’s cycles; spiritual steadiness comes from recognizing recurring cosmic patterns and trusting dharma’s continuity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it functions as guidance within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it offers counsel and reassurance.