Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 176

Devanagari script

क्रीडते शांकरे लोके यावदाभूतसम्प्लवम् । यश्चैवाश्वयुजे मासि चैत्रे वा नृपसत्तम

Transliteration

krīḍate śāṃkare loke yāvadābhūtasamplavam | yaścaivāśvayuje māsi caitre vā nṛpasattama

Translation

അവൻ മഹാപ്രളയം വരെയും ശങ്കരലോകത്തിൽ ആനന്ദത്തോടെ ക്രീഡിക്കുന്നു। ഹേ നൃപശ്രേഷ്ഠാ, ആശ്വയുജ മാസത്തിലോ ചൈത്രത്തിലോ ഈ അനുഷ്ഠാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ...

Word by Word

• क्रीडते: sports, plays, enjoys
• क्रीडते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: krīḍ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• शांकरे: in Śaṅkara's (Śiva's)
• शांकरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying loke)

• लोके: world, realm
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• यावत्: as long as, until
• यावत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधिवाचक (until/as long as)

• आभूतसम्प्लवम्: until the cosmic dissolution (pralaya)
• आभूतसम्प्लवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ā-bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + samplava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुषार्थे प्रयोगः—आभूत (यावत्-पर्यन्तम्) इति उपसर्गार्थसम्बन्धः; अर्थतः 'आभूतपर्यन्तः सम्प्लवः'

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• आश्वयुजे: in (the month of) Āśvayuja
• आश्वयुजे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśvayuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; मासनाम (month-name)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• चैत्रे: in (the month of) Caitra
• चैत्रे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; मासनाम

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रेष्ठः नृपः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śaṅkara-loka (as promised fruit) within Revā-khaṇḍa vrata context

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpasattama (best of kings)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary depiction of Śaṅkara’s luminous realm—ash-smeared ascetics, celestial gaṇas, and a devotee welcomed—paired with a calendar-like motif highlighting Āśvayuja and Caitra as vrata months.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Āśvayuja (Āśvina)
• Caitra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right observance aligned with sacred time yields enduring spiritual reward, described as residence in Śiva’s realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse highlights Śiva-loka and sacred months; the broader chapter sits in the Revā Khaṇḍa sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertaking the vrata specifically in Āśvayuja (Āśvina) or Caitra is recommended for heightened merit.