Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अभिभूतः शिवगणैः प्रणनाश युधिष्ठिर । दक्षयज्ञप्रमथने कांदिशीको विधिं विना

Transliteration

abhibhūtaḥ śivagaṇaiḥ praṇanāśa yudhiṣṭhira | dakṣayajñapramathane kāṃdiśīko vidhiṃ vinā

Translation

शिवगणांनी पराभूत केल्यावर, हे युधिष्ठिरा, दक्षयज्ञाच्या विध्वंसकाळी विधी सोडून कांदिशीक भयाकुल होऊन पळून गेला.

Word by Word

• अभिभूतः: overpowered
• अभिभूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + भू (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे—'overpowered'

• शिवगणैः: by Śiva’s attendants
• शिवगणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तृतीया-कर्तृ/करण (by the hosts of Śiva)

• प्रणनाश: perished, was destroyed
• प्रणनाश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन

• दक्षयज्ञप्रमथने: in the destruction of Dakṣa’s sacrifice
• दक्षयज्ञप्रमथने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष + यज्ञ + प्रमथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; बहुपद-षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दक्षस्य यज्ञस्य प्रमथने) अधिकरण

• कांदिशीकः: Kāṃdiśīka (name/epithet)
• कांदिशीकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कांदिशीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता/विधेय (proper name/epithet)

• विधिम्: rule, proper procedure
• विधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• विना: without
• विना: Nishedha/Apavarga (Exclusion)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोग/अभावार्थे (without)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (narrating to Yudhiṣṭhira)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Haṃseśvara (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dramatic yajña scene: sacrificial arena in turmoil, Śiva’s gaṇas surging forward; a terrified figure (Kāṃdiśīka) fleeing; Yudhiṣṭhira addressed in the narration; the sense of ‘vidhiṃ vinā’ shown by scattered ritual implements and broken altar order.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva-gaṇas
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dakṣa-yajña
• Kāṃdiśīka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When one abandons vidhi (right order and dharma), fear and downfall follow; refuge lies in aligning with divine law.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is narrative context within the Revā Khaṇḍa rather than a direct tīrtha-glorification; the broader section is connected to the sacred Revā (Narmadā) region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit vrata/dāna/snānā prescription is stated; the emphasis is on not violating vidhi in sacrificial and dharmic acts.