Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 106

Devanagari script

तृतीयं रक्षितं तस्य पुरं देवेन शम्भुना । ज्वालामालाकुलं चान्यत्पतितं धरणीतले

Transliteration

tṛtīyaṃ rakṣitaṃ tasya puraṃ devena śambhunā | jvālāmālākulaṃ cānyatpatitaṃ dharaṇītale

Translation

La troisième de ses cités fut gardée par le dieu Śambhu ; mais une autre part, toute encombrée de guirlandes de flammes, tomba sur la terre.

Word by Word

• तृतीयम्: the third
• तृतीयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• रक्षितम्: protected
• रक्षितम्: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव

• तस्य: of it/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• पुरम्: city
• पुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवेन: by the god
• देवेन: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शम्भुना: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुना: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्वालामालाकुलम्: filled with garlands of flames
• ज्वालामालाकुलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वाला + माला + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (ज्वालामालाभिः आकुलम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (Conjunction)

• अन्यत्: another (one)
• अन्यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पतितम्: fallen
• पतितम्: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धरणीतले: on the surface of the earth
• धरणीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी + तल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धरण्याः तलम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śrīśaila (linked in the immediate narrative sequence)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant city-portion is shielded by Śambhu’s protective aura, while another blazing fragment wreathed in flame-garlands breaks away and plunges toward the earth.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Tripura (implied by context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva both protects and transforms: what is spared remains under divine care, and what falls becomes sanctified through cosmic events.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the descent of flame-wreathed fragments that later become localized sacred sites (including Jvāleśvara traditions).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is an origin narrative (utpatti-kathā) for sacred geography.