Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

विद्युत्पुंजसमाभासा व्यालयज्ञोपवीतिनी । त्रिशूलाग्रकरा सौम्या तानुवाच ऋषींस्तदा

Transliteration

vidyutpuṃjasamābhāsā vyālayajñopavītinī | triśūlāgrakarā saumyā tānuvāca ṛṣīṃstadā

Translation

Rayonnante comme un amas d’éclairs, portant un serpent pour cordon sacré; douce, et pourtant tenant la pointe du trident en sa main, elle s’adressa alors à ces ṛṣi.

Word by Word

• विद्युत्पुञ्ज-सम-आभासा: having a radiance like a mass of lightning
• विद्युत्पुञ्ज-सम-आभासा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुञ्ज (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक/उपसर्गवत्) + आभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. nom. sg.)

• व्याल-यज्ञोपवीतिनी: wearing a serpent as the sacred thread
• व्याल-यज्ञोपवीतिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याल (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञोपवीतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. nom. sg.)

• त्रिशूल-अग्र-करा: having a hand holding the tip of a trident / holding a trident-point
• त्रिशूल-अग्र-करा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिशूल (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. nom. sg.)

• सौम्या: gentle, auspicious
• सौम्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. nom. sg.)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (masc. acc. pl.)

• उवाच: said, spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ऋषीन्: sages
• ऋषीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (masc. acc. pl.)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Narrator (Skanda Purāṇa narrator); the maiden speaks next within the narrative

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tirtha milieu (unspecified spot within Revākhaṇḍa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lightning-radiant divine feminine figure, gentle-faced yet awe-inspiring, wearing a serpent as yajñopavīta and holding a trident-tip, stands before assembled sages on a riverbank tirtha, about to speak.

Characters & Entities

• Maiden (kanyā/devī-like figure)
• Ṛṣis
• Trident (triśūla)
• Serpent (vyāla)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred landscape reveals Śaiva power: gentleness and fierce protection co-exist in divine manifestation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Narmadā tīrtha-region, where a Śaiva, divine presence manifests from the waters.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse uses ritual symbols (yajñopavīta, triśūla) to signal Śaiva sanctity.