Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

गोरूपेण विभोर्वाक्यात्त्वत्सकाशमिहागता । मा मृषावचनः शम्भुर्भवेदिति च सत्वरा

Transliteration

gorūpeṇa vibhorvākyāttvatsakāśamihāgatā | mā mṛṣāvacanaḥ śambhurbhavediti ca satvarā

Translation

Ayant pris la forme d’une vache, et sur l’ordre du Seigneur, je suis venue ici vers toi—sans tarder—afin que la parole de Śambhu ne soit pas démentie.

Word by Word

• गो-रूपेण: in the form of a cow
• गो-रूपेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; components: गो + रूप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘गोः रूपम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• विभोः: of the Lord
• विभोः: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• वाक्यात्: from the command/statement
• वाक्यात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• त्वत्-सकाशम्: to your presence, near you
• त्वत्-सकाशम्: Gati/Goal (Destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वत्-सकाश (प्रातिपदिक; components: त्वत् + सकाश)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘त्वत्’ (2nd person genitive base) + ‘सकाश’ = ‘near you’

• इह: here
• इह: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• आगता: (I) have come
• आगता: Kriyā (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √गम् (धातु) + क्त → आगत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘has come’

• मा: not
• मा: Pratiṣedha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक निपात (prohibitive/negative)

• मृषा-वचनः: one whose word is false
• मृषा-वचनः: Viśeṣaṇa (of शम्भुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृषा-वचन (प्रातिपदिक; components: मृषा + वचन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मृषा एव वचनम्’ इति कर्मधारय

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिव-नाम

• भवेत्: would be / should become
• भवेत्: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सत्वरा: quickly, hastily
• सत्वरा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोगः (as adverbial adjective)

Speaker

Unspecified (deduced: the same divine being, now describing her cow-form mission)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā (episode-site)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The addressed agent at the scene (the one who can act to save the brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous cow appears suddenly by divine command; the narrative stresses speed and purpose: to ensure Śambhu’s statement does not become false. The cow is not ordinary—its presence radiates divinity.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s promise is inviolable; divine agents act to uphold Śiva’s truth and protect dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā sacred region is the narrative setting, central to Revā-khaṇḍa’s tīrtha-glorification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is given; the emphasis is on faith in Śiva’s word and swift dharmic action.