Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

हावभावविलासैश्च मोहयत्यखिलं जगत् । भ्रमते दिव्यरूपा सा विद्युत्सौदामिनी यथा

Transliteration

hāvabhāvavilāsaiśca mohayatyakhilaṃ jagat | bhramate divyarūpā sā vidyutsaudāminī yathā

Translation

Par ses jeux de gestes, ses expressions et sa grâce enchanteresse, elle trouble le monde entier. D’une forme divine, elle se meut telle l’éclair qui flamboie dans les nuées.

Word by Word

• हाव: coquetry/gesture
• हाव: Karana (करण/Means - member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• भाव: expression/mood
• भाव: Karana (करण/Means - member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• विलासैः: by playful graces
• विलासैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विलास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (हाव-भाव-विलासैः = ‘by gestures, expressions, and graces’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मोहयति: deludes
• मोहयति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense in usage (‘to delude’)

• अखिलम्: entire
• अखिलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भ्रमते: wanders
• भ्रमते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• दिव्य: divine
• दिव्य: Visheshana (विशेषण/Member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• रूपा: of divine form
• रूपा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (दिव्य-रूपा = ‘divine-formed’)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विद्युत्: lightning
• विद्युत्: Upamana (उपमान/Member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• सौदामिनी: a lightning-flash
• सौदामिनी: Upamana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौदामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (विद्युत्-सौदामिनी = ‘lightning called saudāminī’)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Upama-suchaka (उपमासूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced: Āvantya Khaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine maiden, dazzling and swift, enchants all beings with expressive glances and graceful movements; she flashes like lightning against dark monsoon clouds.

Characters & Entities

• a divine maiden (kanyā)
• the world (jagat)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly fascination can arise even from the dazzling and divine; discernment is needed so the mind is not carried away by moha (delusion).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is part of the Revā Khaṇḍa setting (Narmadā/Revā sacred geography), though this specific line focuses on narrative description rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.