Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

एतच्छ्रुत्वा परं वाक्यं देवदेवेन भाषितम् । कौतूहलसमाविष्टा शङ्करं पुनरब्रवीत्

Transliteration

etacchrutvā paraṃ vākyaṃ devadevena bhāṣitam | kautūhalasamāviṣṭā śaṅkaraṃ punarabravīt

Translation

Ayant entendu ces paroles profondes prononcées par le Seigneur des dieux, elle—saisie de curiosité—s’adressa de nouveau à Śaṅkara.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (neuter, accusative singular)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• परम्: supreme; excellent
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter, accusative singular)

• वाक्यम्: statement; speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular)

• देवदेवेन: by the god of gods
• देवदेवेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘देवानां देवः’ (masculine, instrumental singular)

• भाषितम्: spoken
• भाषितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाष् (धातु)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वाक्यम्’ इति विशेषण (spoken)

• कौतूहलसमाविष्टा: (she) filled with curiosity
• कौतूहलसमाविष्टा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौतूहल + सम्-आ-विश् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (P.P.P.) ‘समाविष्ट’ + षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-समासः ‘कौतूहलेन समाविष्टा’ (filled with curiosity)

• शङ्करम्: Śaṅkara
• शङ्करम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, accusative singular)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अब्रवीत्: said; spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular imperfect)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, unspecified in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha context

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotional dialogue scene: the goddess/listener, curious and attentive, turns again toward Śaṅkara after hearing a grave pronouncement; riverbank hermitage ambience implied by Revā-khaṇḍa setting.

Characters & Entities

• Devadeva (Śiva)
• Śaṅkara
• Devī (Umā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Curiosity directed toward dharma and sacred places becomes a doorway to deeper revelation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The discussion continues around Mahādāruvana and its āśrama-centered sacred environment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a connective verse advancing the dialogue.