Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

मांसमेदोवसाहस्ता हृष्टा नृत्यन्ति संघशः । वामना जटिला मुण्डा लम्बग्रीवोष्ठमूर्द्धजाः

Transliteration

māṃsamedovasāhastā hṛṣṭā nṛtyanti saṃghaśaḥ | vāmanā jaṭilā muṇḍā lambagrīvoṣṭhamūrddhajāḥ

Translation

彼らは群れをなして歓喜のうちに舞い、手は肉と脂と膏にまみれている――背の低い者、髪はもつれ、頭は剃られ、首は長く、唇は突き出し、頭頂には奇妙な房がある。

Word by Word

• मांस-मेदस्-वसा-हस्ताः: having hands smeared/filled with flesh, fat and marrow
• मांस-मेदस्-वसा-हस्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + मेदस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वसा (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासान्त-बहुव्रीहिवत् विशेषणप्रयोगः (hands having flesh-fat-marrow)

• हृष्टाः: delighted, exhilarated
• हृष्टाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• नृत्यन्ति: they dance
• नृत्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• संघशः: in groups, in crowds
• संघशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संघशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb of manner)

• वामनाः: dwarfish, short
• वामनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वामन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• जटिलाः: matted-haired
• जटिलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• मुण्डाः: shaven-headed, bald
• मुण्डाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• लम्ब-ग्रीव-ओष्ठ-मूर्द्धजाः: with long necks, lips, and hair
• लम्ब-ग्रीव-ओष्ठ-मूर्द्धजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक) + ओष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्द्धज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; describing gaṇa-like beings in Śiva’s retinue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha (Avanti/Revā-khaṇḍa context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ring of grotesque gaṇas dance in groups, hands smeared with fat and flesh, dwarfish and matted or shaven, with elongated necks and protruding lips; the setting suggests a liminal riverbank/cremation-ground night.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇa-like attendants (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse portrays the terrifying, liminal forms surrounding Śiva, reminding devotees that the divine encompasses what is fearful and transforms it into sacred order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage is set in Amaraṃkaṭa within Revā Khaṇḍa, where Śiva’s presence sanctifies even fierce manifestations.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive narration.