Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

शृणोम्यर्णवमध्यस्थो निःशब्दस्तिमिते तदा । अम्भोरवमनौपम्यं दिशो दश विनादिनम्

Transliteration

śṛṇomyarṇavamadhyastho niḥśabdastimite tadā | ambhoravamanaupamyaṃ diśo daśa vinādinam

Translation

ಆಗ ಸಮುದ್ರಮಧ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದು, ನಿಶ್ಶಬ್ದವಾಗಿ ಸ್ಥಿಮಿತವಾದ ಆ ವೇಳೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಜಲದ ಅನೂಪಮ ಗರ್ಜನೆಯನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿದೆನು; ಅದು ಹತ್ತು ದಿಕ್ಕುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನಿನಾದಿಸುತ್ತಿತ್ತು.

Word by Word

• शृणोमि: I hear
• शृणोमि: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अर्णवमध्यस्थः: standing in the middle of the ocean
• अर्णवमध्यस्थः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (अर्णवस्य मध्ये स्थः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निःशब्दः: silent; without sound
• निःशब्दः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्/निः-पूर्वक तत्पुरुषः (soundless); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तिमिते: in the stillness
• तिमिते: Adhikaraṇa (Location/State)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिमित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (context: ‘in the still (state)’), सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• अम्भोरवम्: the sound of the waters
• अम्भोरवम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक) + रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अम्भसः रवः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनौपम्यम्: incomparable
• अनौपम्यम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अनौपम्य’ = अनुपम (incomparable)

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

• दश: ten
• दश: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; (agreeing with ‘दिशः’)

• विनादिनम्: resounding
• विनादिनम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-नद् (धातु) → विनादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तद्धित/कृदन्ताधारित विशेषण ‘विनादिन्’ (resounding); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with अम्भोरवम्/अनौपम्यम् as object phrase)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Eka-arṇava (symbolic)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (nṛpasattama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone sage afloat in a glassy yet immense ocean; the ten directions are suggested by subtle radiating lines; the water’s roar is visualized as concentric wave-sound rings spreading outward.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when the world seems silent and empty, the Purāṇic vision portrays a deeper cosmic order—heard as the elemental voice of creation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse is part of a universal pralaya setting within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None—this is descriptive narration.