Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

पश्यन्ति यानमारूढं रासभैश्च नृपोत्तम । संवर्तको महावायुर्युगान्तप्रतिमो महान्

Transliteration

paśyanti yānamārūḍhaṃ rāsabhaiśca nṛpottama | saṃvartako mahāvāyuryugāntapratimo mahān

Translation

Ils se virent montés sur un char tiré par des ânes, ô le meilleur des rois ; et se leva le vaste vent Saṃvartaka, puissant, tel la bourrasque à la fin d’un yuga.

Word by Word

• पश्यन्ति: they see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यानम्: vehicle
• यानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आरूढम्: mounted/ascended
• आरूढम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु) → आरूढ (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying) यानम्

• रासभैः: by/with donkeys
• रासभैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रासभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• नृपोत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: नृपाणाम् उत्तमः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

• संवर्तकः: the destroyer/annihilator
• संवर्तकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवर्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• महावायुः: the great wind
• महावायुः: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् वायुः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• युगान्तप्रतिमः: like the end of an age
• युगान्तप्रतिमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युगान्त + प्रतिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: युगान्तस्य प्रतिमः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying) महावायुः

• महान्: mighty
• महान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying) महावायुः

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrthas (contextual)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king addressed as ‘nṛpottama’ (best of kings)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal party suddenly perceives itself on a humble cart drawn by asses as a colossal saṃvartaka wind rises, bending trees and darkening the sky—an inversion of status amid cosmic dread.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃvartaka wind
• yugānta (end of age)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic events mirror inner and outer instability; remembering dharma amid ‘yugānta-like’ upheaval is the Purāṇic counsel.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse continues the omen-sequence around Tripura-saṃhāra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.