Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

ज्वलते धूमसंयुक्तो विस्फुलिङ्गकणैः सह । कुंजरा विमदा जातास्तुरगाः सत्त्ववर्जिताः

Transliteration

jvalate dhūmasaṃyukto visphuliṅgakaṇaiḥ saha | kuṃjarā vimadā jātāsturagāḥ sattvavarjitāḥ

Translation

Il flambait, chargé de fumée et accompagné d’une pluie d’étincelles. Les éléphants furent privés de leur ivresse du rut, et les chevaux dépouillés de vigueur et d’élan.

Word by Word

• ज्वलते: blazes
• ज्वलते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्वल् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धूमसंयुक्तः: joined with smoke; smoke-filled
• धूमसंयुक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूम + संयुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धूमेन संयुक्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying) (अग्निः implied)

• विस्फुलिङ्गकणैः: with spark-particles
• विस्फुलिङ्गकणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्फुलिङ्ग + कण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विस्फुलिङ्गानां कणाः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahartha (Accompaniment/सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश (postposition: ‘with’)

• कुञ्जराः: elephants
• कुञ्जराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुञ्जर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विमदाः: without rut/without pride
• विमदाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying) कुञ्जराः

• जाताः: became
• जाताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) प्रयोगः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘became’ (finite sense)

• तुरगाः: horses
• तुरगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सत्त्ववर्जिताः: devoid of strength/spirit
• सत्त्ववर्जिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्व + वर्जित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सत्त्वेन वर्जिताः/सत्त्वं वर्जिताः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying) तुरगाः

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced: Āvantya-khaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpottama (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fire blazes but is smothered with thick smoke and showers of sparks; nearby, elephants stand dull and unrutted, horses droop lifeless—an eerie stillness amid crackling flame.

Characters & Entities

• Elephants (Kuñjara)
• Horses (Turaga)
• Fire/Flames

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma’s collapse is mirrored in creation itself—strength and pride drain away when divine wrath and purification spread.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage belongs to the Revā-khaṇḍa (Narmadā region) but here the focus is the Tripura-dāha episode rather than a particular pilgrimage ford.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it is a descriptive omen-verse illustrating the effects of the conflagration.