Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

पुरा ह्याराधितः शूली तेनाहमजरामरः । अघमर्षणघोरं च वामदेवं च त्र्यम्बकम्

Transliteration

purā hyārādhitaḥ śūlī tenāhamajarāmaraḥ | aghamarṣaṇaghoraṃ ca vāmadevaṃ ca tryambakam

Translation

Autrefois, le Seigneur porteur du Trident fut adoré; par cette adoration je devins impérissable et immortel—par (les formes/mantras) Aghamarṣaṇa, Ghora, Vāmadeva et Tryambaka.

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (indeed)

• आराधितः: was worshipped
• आराधितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; उपसर्गः—आ; कर्मणि (worshipped)

• शूली: the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• शूली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; शूलधारी (epithet of Śiva)

• तेन: by that / by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

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

• अजरा-अमरः: ageless and deathless
• अजरा-अमरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + जरा (प्रातिपदिक) + अ (नञ्) + मर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (अजरा च अमरः च)

• अघ-मर्षण-घोरम्: the terrible sin-destroying (form/name)
• अघ-मर्षण-घोरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अघ (प्रातिपदिक) + मर्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अघं मर्षयति इति; घोरम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• वामदेवम्: Vāmadeva
• वामदेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• त्र्यम्बकम्: Tryambaka (the three-eyed one)
• त्र्यम्बकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगुः (त्रीणि अम्बकानि यस्य)

Speaker

Narrator in the Revā Khaṇḍa (contextual purāṇic voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating the māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā Śaiva tīrthas (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee/being recounts ancient worship of the trident-bearing Śiva; around Śiva appear four luminous mantra-aspects labeled Aghamarṣaṇa, Ghora, Vāmadeva, Tryambaka as emanations; the devotee is shown radiant, freed from decay.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śūlin)
• Aghamarṣaṇa
• Ghora
• Vāmadeva
• Tryambaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-upāsanā, especially through revered names/mantric forms, is portrayed as a source of purification and transcendence over decay and death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly the Revā/Narmadā milieu, where Śaiva worship and mantra-power are presented as foundational to the tīrtha’s greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship/propitiation of Śiva and remembrance/recitation of his named forms (mantra-oriented devotion).