Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

नानारूपधरा सौम्या नानाभरणभूषिता । अर्घ्यपाद्यादिभिर्माल्यैर्बकमभ्यर्च्य सुव्रताः

Transliteration

nānārūpadharā saumyā nānābharaṇabhūṣitā | arghyapādyādibhirmālyairbakamabhyarcya suvratāḥ

Translation

അവർ സൗമ്യരായി, നാനാരൂപധാരികളായി, നാനാഭരണങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കൃതരായി. ആ സുവ്രത കന്യകൾ അർഘ്യം, പാദ്യം മുതലായ അർപ്പണങ്ങളും മാല്യങ്ങളും കൊണ്ട് ‘ബക’നെ ആരാധിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• नाना-रूप-धराः: bearing many forms
• नाना-रूप-धराः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (नानारूपं धरन्ति) — ‘bearing various forms’

• सौम्याः: gentle, lovely
• सौम्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Plural)

• नाना-आभरण-भूषिताः: adorned with various ornaments
• नाना-आभरण-भूषिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + आभरण (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (नानाभरणैः भूषिताः)

• अर्घ्य-पाद्य-आदिभिः: with offerings like arghya and pādya
• अर्घ्य-पाद्य-आदिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural); द्वन्द्व-समाहाराभासः ‘अर्घ्यं पाद्यं च’ + ‘आदि’ (etc.)

• माल्यैः: with garlands
• माल्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural)

• बकम्: Baka (the bird)
• बकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि + अर्च् (धातु) → अभ्यर्च्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• सुव्रताः: of good vows, virtuous
• सुव्रताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सुन्दरं व्रतं यस्याः)

Speaker

Narrator (a Brāhmaṇa sage) addressing a king (Nareśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Baka-associated tīrtha episode (within Revā-khaṇḍa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Unspecified

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ten maidens in varied forms stand in reverent semicircle, presenting arghya vessels, pādya bowls, and garlands to a formidable bird-being ‘Baka’ at the ocean’s edge.

Characters & Entities

• Baka (mysterious bird-being)
• Arghya
• Pādya
• Mālya (garlands)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence expressed through proper offerings (upacāras) sanctifies encounter and acknowledges divinity in extraordinary forms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa’s sacred milieu is present; this verse foregrounds worship practice rather than a named location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship with arghya (honor-offering water), pādya (water for feet), and garlands—standard Purāṇic hospitality and pūjā elements.