Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ज्वालामालाकुलं कृत्वा जगत्सर्वं चिदामकम् । महारूपधरो रुद्रो व्यतिष्ठत महेश्वरः

Transliteration

jvālāmālākulaṃ kṛtvā jagatsarvaṃ cidāmakam | mahārūpadharo rudro vyatiṣṭhata maheśvaraḥ

Translation

ജ്വാലാമാലകളാൽ സർവ്വജഗത്തെയും നിറച്ച്, ലോകമൊട്ടാകെ ഭസ്മമയമാക്കി. അപ്പോൾ മഹാഭയങ്കരമായ മഹാരൂപം ധരിച്ച രുദ്രൻ—മഹേശ്വരൻ—പ്രകടമായി നിലകൊണ്ടു.

Word by Word

• ज्वाला-माला-आकुलम्: filled with garlands of flames
• ज्वाला-माला-आकुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक) + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ज्वालामालया आकुलम्)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; जगत्-विशेषणम्

• चिदामकम्: as if insentient, inert-like
• चिदामकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित् (प्रातिपदिक) + आमक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (चित्-आमकम् = चेतनारहितम्/जडवत्)

• महा-रूप-धरः: bearing a great form
• महा-रूप-धरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (महारूपं धरति इति)

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• व्यतिष्ठत: stood forth / remained
• व्यतिष्ठत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः—वि + अति

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (the Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; रुद्रस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā / Narmadā (contextual)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A colossal Rudra/Maheśvara manifests, encircled by garlands and arcs of flame; the universe appears as glowing embers, with ash-laden skies and collapsing worlds, yet the deity stands unmoved at the center.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Maheśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rudra’s awe-inspiring form reveals the Lord as both destroyer of illusion and sovereign of ultimate reality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicit here; the verse magnifies Maheśvara’s cosmic sovereignty, often a backdrop to praising sacred geographies in the Revākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.