Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 24
Devanagari script
अथाहं भयादुद्विग्नस्तरन्बाहुभिरर्णवम् । तत्रस्थोऽहं महामत्स्यमपश्यं मदसंयुतम्
Transliteration
athāhaṃ bhayādudvignastaranbāhubhirarṇavam | tatrastho'haṃ mahāmatsyamapaśyaṃ madasaṃyutam
Translation
അപ്പോൾ ഭയത്താൽ കലങ്ങിയ ഞാൻ കൈകളുടെ ബലത്തിൽ സമുദ്രം നീന്തി കടന്നു; അവിടെ അതിപ്രബലമായ ഒരു മഹാമത്സ്യത്തെ ഞാൻ കണ്ടു.
Word by Word
अथthen
अथ:
Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (1st person pronoun, Nominative, Singular)
भयात्from fear, out of fear
भयात्:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootभय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Ablative, Singular)
उद्विग्नःagitated, frightened
उद्विग्नः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootउद्विग्न (कृदन्त, √विज्/विग् धातु; उद्-उपसर्ग, क्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Past participle, Nom. sg)
तरन्crossing, swimming across
तरन्:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतरन् (कृदन्त, √तॄ/तृ धातु)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (while crossing)
बाहुभिःwith (my) arms
बाहुभिः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootबाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)
अर्णवम्ocean
अर्णवम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)
तत्रस्थःstanding there, being there
तत्रस्थः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतत्र (अव्यय) + स्थ (कृदन्त, √स्था क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative Singular)
महाgreat
महा:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formउपसर्जन-विशेषण (prefixal adjective)
मत्स्यम्fish
मत्स्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)
अपश्यम्I saw
अपश्यम्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√पश्/दृश् (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Imperfect, 1st sg, Parasmaipada)
मदसंयुतम्possessed of vigor/impetuosity
मदसंयुतम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमद + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक; संयुत = √युज् क्त, सम्-उपसर्ग)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative Singular); मत्स्यम् इति विशेषण (endowed with intoxication/force)
Speaker
A narrator-sage addressing a king
Tirtha Mahatmya
Type: kshetra
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Implied; direct address appears next verse
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A terrified swimmer in dark waters turns to behold an enormous fish rising—its body vast, eyes blazing, the sea churning around it.
Characters & Entities
M
Mahāmatsya (great fish; Matsya motif)FAQs
When fear peaks in dissolution, the Lord’s saving presence manifests in an accessible form.
No site is named in this verse; it introduces a Matsya-like salvific episode within the Revā Khaṇḍa setting.
None.