Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अस्ति विन्ध्यो नगो नाम याम्याशायां महीपते । गीर्वाणास्तु गताः सर्वे तस्य मूर्ध्नि नरेश्वर

Transliteration

asti vindhyo nago nāma yāmyāśāyāṃ mahīpate | gīrvāṇāstu gatāḥ sarve tasya mūrdhni nareśvara

Translation

ഹേ മഹീപതേ, തെക്കുദിക്കിൽ വിന്ധ്യ എന്നൊരു പർവ്വതമുണ്ട്. ഹേ നരേശ്വരാ, സർവ്വദേവന്മാരും അതിന്റെ ശിഖരത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി.

Word by Word

• अस्ति: there is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विन्ध्यः: Vindhya (mountain)
• विन्ध्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विन्ध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नगः: mountain
• नगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन (विन्ध्यः = नगः)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-प्रयोगे (quotative)

• याम्याशायाम्: in the southern direction
• याम्याशायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (याम्या आशा)

• महीपते: O king
• महीपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महीनां पतिः)

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

• तु: indeed, however
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक (but/indeed)

• गताः: gone
• गताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Active Participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying गीर्वाणाः)

• तस्य: of him/of it
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head/summit
• मूर्ध्नि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• नरेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नराणाम् ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vindhya-śikhara (summit setting)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (mahīpati/nareśvara)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast Vindhya mountain rises in the southern quarter; the gods journey together and assemble upon its summit, preparing for a great act.

Characters & Entities

• Vindhya
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holy narratives anchor dharma in real landscapes—mountains and directions become stages for divine acts benefiting the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vindhya is introduced as the geographical locus where the gods assemble, setting up the tīrtha narrative connected to Gaṅgā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse establishes the location and movement of the gods.