Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

समस्तं कथयामास यद्वृत्तं हि पुरातनम् । तस्य वाक्यादसौ राजा पतितो धरणीतले

Transliteration

samastaṃ kathayāmāsa yadvṛttaṃ hi purātanam | tasya vākyādasau rājā patito dharaṇītale

Translation

സംഭവിച്ച പുരാതനവൃത്താന്തം മുഴുവനും അവൻ വിശദമായി പറഞ്ഞു. അവന്റെ വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ട ഉടനെ ആ രാജാവ് ഭൂമിയിൽ വീണു.

Word by Word

• समस्तम्: the whole, entire
• समस्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सम्पूर्णम्)

• कथयामास: told, narrated
• कथयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• यत्: which, that (what)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• वृत्तम्: the event, account
• वृत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘घटना/वृत्तान्त’

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• पुरातनम्: ancient, old
• पुरातनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• तस्य: of him, his
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• वाक्यात्: from the words/speech
• वाक्यात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• असौ: that (person), he
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशार्थ सर्वनाम

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

• पतितः: fell, having fallen
• पतितः: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया-फल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पतित’ = fallen

• धरणीतले: on the ground
• धरणीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी-तल (प्रातिपदिक; धरणी + तल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (धरण्याः तलम्)

Speaker

Narrator

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience/ṛṣis; within story: the king

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A courtly or camp setting: a messenger/minister recounts an ancient episode; the king, overwhelmed, collapses to the earth as attendants look on in alarm.

Characters & Entities

• Kaṇva (king)
• servant-messenger

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When truth about karma and sin is realized, humility and inner collapse of pride can arise—preparing one for purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā-khaṇḍa sacred precinct whose power was just described (linked with Somanātha’s protective influence).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it conveys the king’s reaction, setting the stage for further dhārmic action.