Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

अचलं सुस्थिरं तात न भीः कार्या सुलोचने । एतच्छ्रुत्वा शुभं वाक्यं कच्छपस्य मुखाच्च्युतम्

Transliteration

acalaṃ susthiraṃ tāta na bhīḥ kāryā sulocane | etacchrutvā śubhaṃ vākyaṃ kacchapasya mukhāccyutam

Translation

“ഇത് അചലവും അത്യന്തം സുസ്ഥിരവും ആയിരിക്കും, ഹേ താത! ഹേ സുലോചനേ, ഭയപ്പെടേണ്ടതില്ല।” കച്ചപന്റെ വായിൽ നിന്നു പുറപ്പെട്ട ഈ ശുഭവാക്യം കേട്ടപ്പോൾ…

Word by Word

• अचलम्: immovable
• अचलम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate adjective (immovable)

• सुस्थिरम्: very steady
• सुस्थिरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate adjective

• तात: O dear one/son
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; Vocative

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (Negation/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• भीः: fear
• भीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• कार्या: should be (done)
• कार्या: Vidhyartha (Obligation/विध्यर्थ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त) / कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्/णीय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘to be done/should be’ agreeing with ‘भीः’

• सुलोचने: O fair-eyed one
• सुलोचने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुलोचना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सु + लोचना), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; Vocative

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular (this)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having heard’

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifies ‘वाक्यम्’

• वाक्यम्: speech/words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• कच्छपस्य: of the tortoise
• कच्छपस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कच्छप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• मुखात्: from (his) mouth
• मुखात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; Ablative singular

• च्युतम्: uttered, fallen forth
• च्युतम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: च्यु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifies ‘वाक्यम्’

Speaker

Contextual narrator (continuation of Kūrma’s reassurance)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Kacchapa/Kūrma assurance locus)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience within Revākhaṇḍa frame (unspecified)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kūrma/Kacchapa speaks gentle, auspicious words to a fair-eyed lady, promising immovable stability; listeners receive the speech with relief and devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Kacchapa/Kūrma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine speech removes fear; the sanctity of a tīrtha is safeguarded by higher cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The emerging sacred settlement associated with Kūrma and Bhṛgukaccha in the Revā Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is a consoling assurance about firmness and safety.