Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

तान्दृष्ट्वा विस्मयाविष्टा मत्स्यांस्तत्र महर्षयः । पूजयामासुरव्यग्रा हव्यकव्येन देवताः

Transliteration

tāndṛṣṭvā vismayāviṣṭā matsyāṃstatra maharṣayaḥ | pūjayāmāsuravyagrā havyakavyena devatāḥ

Translation

Les voyant là, ces poissons, les grands ṛṣis — saisis d’émerveillement et demeurés paisibles — rendirent un culte aux divinités par des offrandes pour les devas et les ancêtres.

Word by Word

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘those (them)’

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); ‘having seen’

• विस्मयाविष्टाः: filled with amazement
• विस्मयाविष्टाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय-आविष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; आविश् धातु से क्त)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष: विस्मयेन आविष्टाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of महर्षयः) ‘overcome by wonder’

• मत्स्यान्: fishes
• मत्स्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘fishes’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb) ‘there’

• महर्षयः: great sages
• महर्षयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘great sages’

• पूजयामासुः: they worshipped
• पूजयामासुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘they worshipped’

• अव्यग्राः: attentively; unperturbed
• अव्यग्राः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of subject) ‘unagitated/attentive’

• हव्यकव्येन: with havya and kavya offerings
• हव्यकव्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्य-कव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (द्वन्द्व: हव्यं च कव्यं च), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘with oblations (for gods and ancestors)’

• देवताः: the deities
• देवताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘deities’ (object of worship)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (āśrama-sannidhi)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (rājan)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Great sages gaze at the miraculous fish, then arrange a small ritual space: fire or offering vessels, water for tarpaṇa, and offerings divided for devas and ancestors; their faces show wonder yet composure.

Characters & Entities

• Maharṣis
• Devatās
• Pitṛs (implied by kavya)
• Matsya (fish)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious events should be met with worship and gratitude, sustaining the reciprocal bond between humans, gods, and ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Narmadā-side hermitage setting in Revākhaṇḍa, where sacred signs prompt ritual reverence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship with havya and kavya—offerings to devatās and pitṛs—reflecting śrauta-smārta devotional culture.