Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

प्रववौ दक्षिणाशायां मलयानुगतोऽनिलः । भृङ्गमालारुतरवै रमणीयमभूद्वनम्

Transliteration

pravavau dakṣiṇāśāyāṃ malayānugato'nilaḥ | bhṛṅgamālārutaravai ramaṇīyamabhūdvanam

Translation

ദക്ഷിണ ദിക്കിൽ നിന്ന് മലയവായുവിന്റെ സുഗന്ധം അനുഗമിച്ച കാറ്റ് വീശി; തേനീച്ചക്കൂട്ടങ്ങളുടെ മുഴക്കത്താൽ വനം അത്യന്തം രമണീയമായി।

Word by Word

• प्रववौ: blew forth
• प्रववौ: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• दक्षिण-आशायाम्: in the southern direction
• दक्षिण-आशायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक) + आशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; (दक्षिणा आशा = दक्षिणदिशा)

• मलय-अनुगतः: following (coming from) the Malaya (mountains)
• मलय-अनुगतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मलय (प्रातिपदिक) + अनु-√गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अनिलः)

• अनिलः: wind
• अनिलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• भृङ्ग-माला-रुत-रवैः: with the humming sounds of swarms of bees
• भृङ्ग-माला-रुत-रवैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक) + रुत (प्रातिपदिक) + रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; (भृङ्गमालानां रुतरवाः)

• रमणीयम्: delightful
• रमणीयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रमणीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वनम्)

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (अद्यतनभूत/Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वनम्: the forest
• वनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (narration continues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gandhamādana

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa) addressed in the passage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A southern breeze carrying Malaya-like fragrance sweeps through the forest; swarming bees create a continuous hum; blossoms sway, making the woodland irresistibly charming.

Characters & Entities

• Malaya (winds/region)
• Anila (wind)
• Bhṛṅga (bees)
• Gandhamādana (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text intensifies the sensory charm of the setting to underscore how powerful distractions can surround a practitioner of tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The forested sacred landscape around Gandhamādana is celebrated through auspicious signs—fragrant winds and humming bees.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive sacred-geography that prepares the narrative of temptation and steadfastness.