Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

वरयन्ति स्म तां कन्यां कामेनाकुलिता भृशम् । ततोऽब्रवीन्महादेवो देवदानवयोर्द्वयोः

Transliteration

varayanti sma tāṃ kanyāṃ kāmenākulitā bhṛśam | tato'bravīnmahādevo devadānavayordvayoḥ

Translation

Fortement agités par le désir, ils demandèrent la main de la jeune fille. Alors Mahādeva s’adressa aux deux camps : aux devas et aux dānavas.

Word by Word

• वरयन्ति: they choose; they seek (in marriage)
• वरयन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु; वरयति-प्रयोगः)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम् (3rd person plural)

• स्म: indeed; (narrative past marker)
• स्म: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-कारक-अव्ययम् (particle indicating past/narrative emphasis)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• कन्याम्: maiden; girl
• कन्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• कामेन: by desire; with lust
• कामेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम् (Masculine, Instrumental, Singular) — करण/हेतु (by/through desire)

• आकुलिताः: agitated; disturbed
• आकुलिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकुलित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (PPP); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural) — कर्तृ-विशेषणम्

• भृशम्: excessively; greatly
• भृशम्: Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्ययम् (adverb)

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (ablatival adverb: then/from that)

• अब्रवीत्: said; spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• देवदानवयोः: of gods and demons
• देवदानवयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-दानव (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी- द्विवचनम् (Masculine, Genitive, Dual) — सम्बन्ध (of the two groups)

• द्वयोः: of the two
• द्वयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी- द्विवचनम् (Genitive, Dual) — ‘of the two’ (correlative with देवदानवयोः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śiva-nyāya (Mahādeva as arbiter) within Revā-khaṇḍa frame

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas and Dānavas, stirred by desire, formally seek the maiden’s hand; Mahādeva stands poised to speak, calm amid their agitation.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Devas
• Dānavas
• the maiden (kanyā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When kama (desire) inflames conflict, dharma requires an impartial, higher principle—here embodied by Mahādeva—to restore order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it continues the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.