Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अदृश्यांस्तु मृगान्मत्वा दिशो राजा व्यलोकयत् । कां दिशं नु गमिष्यामि क्व मे सैन्यसमागमः

Transliteration

adṛśyāṃstu mṛgānmatvā diśo rājā vyalokayat | kāṃ diśaṃ nu gamiṣyāmi kva me sainyasamāgamaḥ

Translation

മൃഗങ്ങൾ കാഴ്ചയിൽ നിന്ന് അപ്രത്യക്ഷമായെന്ന് കരുതി രാജാവ് എല്ലാ ദിക്കുകളിലേക്കും നോക്കി— “ഇപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ ഏതു ദിക്കിലേക്കു പോകണം? എന്റെ സൈന്യവുമായി സംഗമം എവിടെ?” എന്നു പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• अदृश्यान्: invisible
• अदृश्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदृश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (adjective)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थे (but/indeed)

• मृगान्: deer
• मृगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having thought/considered)

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (दिशः = दिशान्/दिशः as acc. pl. Vedic/epic usage)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्यलोकयत्: looked around
• व्यलोकयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कां: which (fem.)
• कां: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम-विशेषण (interrogative)

• दिशं: direction
• दिशं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नु: now/indeed (question particle)
• नु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) प्रश्न/अनुनयार्थे (indeed/now, in questions)

• गमिष्यामि: shall I go
• गमिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• क्व: where
• क्व: Desha (Location query/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb of place)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• सैन्यसमागमः: assembly/meeting of (my) army
• सैन्यसमागमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + समागम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सैन्यस्य समागमः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Revā Khaṇḍa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sage/assembly frame typical of Skanda Purāṇa (not specified in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary king in hunting attire stands in a dense forest, turning to the four directions with worry, the sense of his retinue absent; shafts of light cut through trees, emphasizing isolation.

Characters & Entities

• Citrasena
• sainyam (army)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When worldly supports disappear, one is compelled to seek right direction—often leading toward sacred refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it prepares the moment that leads to the divine lake (sarovara) described next.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it records the king’s anxious reflection.