Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

किंशुकाशोकबहले जम्बीरपनसाकुले । कदम्बपाटलाकीर्णे बिल्वनारङ्गशोभिते

Transliteration

kiṃśukāśokabahale jambīrapanasākule | kadambapāṭalākīrṇe bilvanāraṅgaśobhite

Translation

C’était une forêt dense de kiṃśuka et d’aśoka, foisonnante de cédrats et de jacquiers ; jonchée de kadamba et de pāṭalā, et embellie de bilva et d’orangers.

Word by Word

• किंशुकाशोकबहले: dense with kiṃśuka and aśoka trees
• किंशुकाशोकबहले: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किंशुक + अशोक + बहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे/तत्पुरुषसमाहार: किंशुकैः अशोकैः च बहलम् (घनम्) यस्मिन् (वने)

• जम्बीरपनसाकुले: filled with citron and jackfruit trees
• जम्बीरपनसाकुले: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जम्बीर + पनस + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (जम्बीर-पनसैः आकुलम्)

• कदम्बपाटलाकीर्णे: covered with kadamba and pāṭalā trees
• कदम्बपाटलाकीर्णे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कदम्ब + पाटल + आकीर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (आकीर्ण = strewn/covered), तत्पुरुष (कदम्ब-पाटलैः आकीर्णम्)

• बिल्वनारङ्गशोभिते: adorned with bilva and orange trees
• बिल्वनारङ्गशोभिते: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिल्व + नारङ्ग + शोभित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (शोभित = adorned), तत्पुरुष (बिल्व-नारङ्गैः शोभितम्)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Urisaṅgama (environs)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sage audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A richly layered riverine forest: kiṃśuka blossoms, aśoka, kadamba, pāṭalā, bilva, citrus and jackfruit—an auspicious grove framing the approach to the sangama.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā (Revā)
• Urisaṅgama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrthas are portrayed as sanctified ecologies—where nature itself reflects sacred presence and supports purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The forest setting associated with Urisaṅgama on the Narmadā (Revā).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse is a descriptive “sthala” (place) portrayal supporting the mahātmya.