Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । गीर्वाणाश्च ततः सर्वे ब्रह्माणं शरणं गताः । गजैर्गिरिवराकारैर्हयैश्चैव गजोपमैः

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | gīrvāṇāśca tataḥ sarve brahmāṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ | gajairgirivarākārairhayaiścaiva gajopamaiḥ

Translation

ശ്രീ മാർകണ്ഡേയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അപ്പോൾ എല്ലാ ദേവന്മാരും ബ്രഹ്മാവിന്റെ ശരണത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി; പർവ്വതസദൃശമായ മഹാഗജങ്ങളോടും ഗജസമാനമായ അശ്വങ്ങളോടും കൂടി അവർ എത്തി।

Word by Word

• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: the revered Mārkaṇḍeya
• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + मार्कण्डेय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणपूर्वपदसमास (honorific)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गीर्वाणाः: the gods (celestials)
• गीर्वाणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय, काल/क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: then/thereafter)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies गीर्वाणाः)

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायां द्वितीया (as goal)

• गताः: (they) went / have taken (refuge)
• गताः: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + गत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘have gone’

• गजैः: with elephants
• गजैः: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• गिरिवराकारैः: having forms like excellent mountains
• गिरिवराकारैः: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गिरि-वर-आकार (प्रातिपदिक; गिरि + वर + आकार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies गजैः)

• हयैः: with horses
• हयैः: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, also
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• गजोपमैः: comparable to elephants
• गजोपमैः: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गज-उपम (प्रातिपदिक; गज + उपम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies हयैः)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand celestial caravan: devas moving toward Brahmā, mounted on mountain-like elephants and massive horses; Mārkaṇḍeya narrating in the foreground as a sage-witness.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Devas (Gīrvāṇas)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When overwhelmed, even the mighty seek śaraṇāgati (refuge) in a higher principle; humility and right counsel restore dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it transitions the narrative toward divine counsel within the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None—this verse describes the devas’ approach to Brahmā for refuge.