Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

क्रीडन्तीं तामवेक्ष्याथ ससखीं विमले जले । राक्षसः शम्बरो नाम श्येनरूपेण चागमत्

Transliteration

krīḍantīṃ tāmavekṣyātha sasakhīṃ vimale jale | rākṣasaḥ śambaro nāma śyenarūpeṇa cāgamat

Translation

La voyant jouer avec ses compagnes dans l’eau limpide, un rākṣasa nommé Śambara survint, ayant pris la forme d’un faucon.

Word by Word

• क्रीडन्तीम्: playing
• क्रीडन्तीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु) → क्रीडन्ती (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्ता (present active participle)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अवेक्ष्य: having seen
• अवेक्ष्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Absolutive/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव्+ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; ‘having seen/observed’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (then)

• ससखीम्: with her companion (female friend)
• ससखीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + सखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सह-सखी = ‘with a friend/companion’)

• विमले: clear, pure
• विमले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘jale’ इति विशेषणम्

• जले: in the water
• जले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राक्षसः: the demon
• राक्षसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• शम्बरः: Śambara
• शम्बरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (Appositive marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशार्थक (called/namely)

• श्येनरूपेण: in the form of a hawk
• श्येनरूपेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्येन + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (श्येनस्य रूपम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• अगमत्: came
• अगमत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Revā Khaṇḍa; specific speaker not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha (contextual)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (epic-style addressee; likely a royal/Janamejaya-type listener in frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A maiden plays in crystal-clear river water with companions; a rakṣasa approaches disguised as a hawk, casting a sudden shadow over the bright water.

Characters & Entities

• Śambara
• Rākṣasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma often approaches through deception; discernment and divine protection become central themes in sacred narratives.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) sacred landscape frames the episode, though the verse centers on the dramatic entry of Śambara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative turning point introducing the antagonist.