Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

संहारलक्षणं तद्वदोङ्कारस्य च सम्भवः । तथैवौंकारमाहात्म्यममरकण्टकीर्तनम्

Transliteration

saṃhāralakṣaṇaṃ tadvadoṅkārasya ca sambhavaḥ | tathaivauṃkāramāhātmyamamarakaṇṭakīrtanam

Translation

De même sont décrits les signes de la dissolution (saṃhāra) et l’origine de l’Oṅkāra ; et pareillement, la gloire de l’Oṅkāra et la proclamation d’Amarakāṇṭa.

Word by Word

• saṃhāra-lakṣaṇam: the characteristic of dissolution
• saṃhāra-lakṣaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (संहारस्य लक्षणम्)

• tadvat: likewise
• tadvat: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (likewise)

• oṅkārasya: of Oṃkāra
• oṅkārasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: oṅkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (Connector/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• sambhavaḥ: origin; arising
• sambhavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sambhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• tathā: and likewise
• tathā: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/क्रमवाचक

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avyaya (Emphasis/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• oṅkāra-māhātmyam: the glory of Oṃkāra
• oṅkāra-māhātmyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: oṅkāra (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ओङ्कारस्य माहात्म्यम्)

• amara-kaṇṭa-kīrtanam: the praising/mentioning of Amarakaṇṭa
• amara-kaṇṭa-kīrtanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amara-kaṇṭa (प्रातिपदिक; समास) + kīrtana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अमरकण्टस्य कीर्तनम्)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced) outlining subjects

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Amarakāṇṭa (Amarkantak) / Oṅkāra-māhātmya (topic)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau of dissolution: worlds folding back into subtle elements, while the luminous syllable Oṁ radiates at the center; below, the forested heights of Amarakāṇṭa are indicated as the earthly seat of this teaching.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃhāra
• Oṅkāra
• Amarakāṇṭa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are linked to ultimate metaphysics: Oṅkāra and cosmic cycles frame the holiness of Amarakāṇṭa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Amarakāṇṭa (Amarkantak), famed in Purāṇic tradition as a supremely sacred region associated with river origins and tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; it announces forthcoming māhātmya (glorification) material.