Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

महादेवस्ततो देवीमाह पार्श्वे स्थितां तदा । संहरस्व जगत्सर्वं मा विलम्बस्व शोभने

Transliteration

mahādevastato devīmāha pārśve sthitāṃ tadā | saṃharasva jagatsarvaṃ mā vilambasva śobhane

Translation

Alors Mahādeva parla à Devī, qui se tenait à Son côté : «Résorbe l’univers tout entier ; ne tarde pas, ô belle».

Word by Word

• महादेवः: Mahādeva
• महादेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय, अपादान/क्रमसूचक (then/from there)

• देवीम्: the Goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह (धातु; ‘अह्’ कथने)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• पार्श्वे: at (his) side
• पार्श्वे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्

• स्थिताम्: standing
• स्थिताम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; देवीम् विशेषयति

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• संहरस्व: withdraw/destroy
• संहरस्व: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-हृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; जगत् विशेषणम्

• मा: do not
• मा: Sambandha (Prohibition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• विलम्बस्व: delay
• विलम्बस्व: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लम्ब् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्; ‘मा’ सह निषेधः

• शोभने: O beautiful one
• शोभने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचनम्; देवी-सम्बोधनम्

Speaker

Mahādeva (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahādeva seated or standing in majesty, Devī at his side; he speaks a decisive command. The background hints at cosmic dissolution—darkening skies, receding stars—yet the couple remains luminous and composed.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva
• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic dissolution is portrayed as the coordinated act of Śiva and Śakti—authority and power operating together.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage belongs to Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā sacred geography) but this verse focuses on pralaya narrative rather than a named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative command within the pralaya episode.