Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 122

Devanagari script

द्वावेतौ मुक्तकेशौ तु भूमौ निपतितौ नृप । विलेपाते च राजेन्द्र निःश्वासोच्छ्वासितेन च

Transliteration

dvāvetau muktakeśau tu bhūmau nipatitau nṛpa | vilepāte ca rājendra niḥśvāsocchvāsitena ca

Translation

ഹേ നൃപാ! ഇവർ ഇരുവരും അഴിച്ച മുടിയോടെ ഭൂമിയിൽ വീണുകിടക്കുന്നു; ഹേ രാജേന്ദ്രാ! അവരുടെ ശ്വാസോച്ഛ്വാസങ്ങളുടെ കുലുക്കത്തിൽ അവർ മാലിന്യത്തോടെ ലിപ്തരായിരിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषणम्

• एतौ: these two
• एतौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; “these two”

• मुक्तकेशौ: with dishevelled hair
• मुक्तकेशौ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त + केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; “with loosened hair”

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणम्

• निपतितौ: had fallen
• निपतितौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-पत् (धातु) → निपतित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; “having fallen/lay fallen”

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• विलेपाते: (there was) smearing/soiling
• विलेपाते: Karta (Co-predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-लिप् (धातु) → विलेपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; “smearing/soiling” (as a state)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• निःश्वासोच्छ्वासितेन: by sighing and heaving breaths
• निःश्वासोच्छ्वासितेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःश्वास + उच्छ्वासित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (निःश्वासश्च उच्छ्वासितं च); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

Speaker

Narrator (context not specified in snippet; likely a dialogue within Revā-khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā region (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two figures lie on the ground with hair loosened, bodies dust-smeared; their chests rise and fall with heavy breaths; onlookers stand helpless.

Characters & Entities

• nṛpa (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It portrays the raw reality of suffering and impermanence, urging a dharmic, detached understanding of worldly bonds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The snippet sits in the Revā Khaṇḍa (Narmadā/Revā sacred region), though no single tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is descriptive narration.