Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

तथा ततं विश्वमिदं समस्तमनेकजीवार्णवदुर्विगाह्यम् । विवेश रुद्रस्य मुखं विशालं ज्वलत्तदुग्रं घननादघोरम्

Transliteration

tathā tataṃ viśvamidaṃ samastamanekajīvārṇavadurvigāhyam | viveśa rudrasya mukhaṃ viśālaṃ jvalattadugraṃ ghananādaghoram

Translation

അങ്ങനെ ഈ സമസ്ത സർവ്വവ്യാപിയായ വിശ്വം—അനവധി ജീവികളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞ സമുദ്രംപോലെ ദുർഗമം—രുദ്രന്റെ വിശാലമായ വായിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചു; അത് ജ്വലിക്കുന്നതും ഉഗ്രവും ഘനഗർജനയാൽ ഭയാനകവുമായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• ततम्: spread, pervaded
• ततम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of ‘viśvam’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tan (धातु) → tata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त (past passive participle) ‘तत’ = विस्तारित/व्याप्त (spread)

• विश्वम्: the universe, all
• विश्वम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Demonstrative qualifier of ‘viśvam’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• समस्तम्: entire, whole
• समस्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of ‘viśvam’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनेकजीवार्णवदुर्विगाह्यम्: hard to penetrate like an ocean of many beings
• अनेकजीवार्णवदुर्विगाह्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of ‘viśvam’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aneka (प्रातिपदिक) + jīva (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + dur (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + vigāhya (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विशेषणसमास); ‘दुर्विगाह्य’ = दुर्गमं प्रवेष्टुम् (hard to enter/penetrate)

• विवेश: entered
• विवेश: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + viś (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रुद्रस्य: of Rudra
• रुद्रस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• मुखम्: mouth, face
• मुखम्: Karma (Object of ‘viveśa’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विशालम्: vast, wide
• विशालम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of ‘mukham’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ज्वलत्: blazing
• ज्वलत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of ‘mukham’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jval (धातु) → jvalat (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; शतृ (present active participle)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Deictic qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• उग्रम्: fierce, terrible
• उग्रम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of ‘mukham’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• घननादघोरम्: dreadful with a deep roar
• घननादघोरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of ‘mukham’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghana (प्रातिपदिक) + nāda (प्रातिपदिक) + ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (घनः नादः यस्य/घननादेन घोरम्)

Speaker

Deductive: Purāṇic narrator

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The entire universe, like an unfathomable ocean of countless beings, is drawn into Rudra’s विशाल mouth—blazing, fierce, thunder-roaring—suggesting cosmic inhalation at dissolution.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme (Rudra) contains and transcends creation; recognizing this inspires surrender (śaraṇāgati) and reverence for dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named in this verse; it is a cosmic description within the Revā-region section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.