Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

सिंहीस्तनं पिबन्त्यत्र कुरंगाः स्नेहसंयुतम् । मार्जारमूषकौ चोभाववलेहत उन्मुखौ

Transliteration

siṃhīstanaṃ pibantyatra kuraṃgāḥ snehasaṃyutam | mārjāramūṣakau cobhāvavalehata unmukhau

Translation

അവിടെ കുരംഗങ്ങൾ (മാൻവർഗം) സ്നേഹസമ്പന്നമായ സിംഹിണിയുടെ മുലകളിൽ നിന്നു പാൽ കുടിച്ചു; പൂച്ചയും എലിയും—ഇരുവരും—വൈരമില്ലാതെ മേലോട്ടു മുഖമുയർത്തി (ആഹാരം) നക്കിക്കൊണ്ടിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• सिंही-स्तनम्: the lioness’s teat
• सिंही-स्तनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंही (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सिंह्याः स्तनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• पिबन्ति: they drink
• पिबन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Present, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय — adverb of place

• कुरङ्गाः: deer/antelopes
• कुरङ्गाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्नेह-संयुतम्: endowed with affection (or: with milk/fat)
• स्नेह-संयुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (स्नेहेन संयुतम् — तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Past participle, Neuter, Accusative, Singular (स्तनम् इति विशेषणम्)

• मार्जार-मूषकौ: the cat and the mouse
• मार्जार-मूषकौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्जार (प्रातिपदिक) + मूषक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (इतरेतर); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Dual

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

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Dual (सर्वनाम)

• अवलेहतः: they lick
• अवलेहतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव√लिह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन — Present, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Dual

• उन्मुखौ: facing upward/eager
• उन्मुखौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उन्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Dual (उभौ इति विशेषणम्)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: descriptive narration within Revā Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A striking tableau: a lioness calmly nursing deer; nearby, a cat and mouse share food without fear—set in a serene forest clearing with gentle light, emphasizing miraculous concord.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a highly sanctified place, hostility dissolves—nature itself mirrors the peace born of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred forest/region on the banks of the Revā (Narmadā) as praised in the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse offers a māhātmya sign—non-violence and concord manifesting in the environment.