Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

तां दृष्ट्वा विस्मयापन्ना देवा यान्ति पराङ्मुखाः । तस्याश्चक्रे ततो नाम स्वयमेव पिनाकधृक्

Transliteration

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā vismayāpannā devā yānti parāṅmukhāḥ | tasyāścakre tato nāma svayameva pinākadhṛk

Translation

Melihatnya, para dewa terpegun dalam kehairanan lalu berpaling kerana takzim dan malu suci. Kemudian Sang Pemegang busur Pināka sendiri mengurniakan nama kepadanya.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (gerund/absolutive)

• विस्मयापन्नाः: struck with wonder
• विस्मयापन्नाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of देवा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय + आपन्न (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'fallen into astonishment')

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• यान्ति: go
• यान्ति: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु; इण्-गत्यर्थ)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• पराङ्मुखाः: with faces turned away
• पराङ्मुखाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of देवा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराङ् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास (possessive: 'those whose faces are turned away')

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• चक्रे: made, fashioned, assigned
• चक्रे: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla-krama (Sequencing)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरं (then)

• नाम: a name
• नाम: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Agent emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मकर्तृत्व-वाचक (reflexive adverb: oneself)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphasis)

• पिनाकधृक्: the bearer of Pināka (Śiva)
• पिनाकधृक्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाक + धृक् (प्रातिपदिक; धृ = धारणे)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'holder of Pināka')

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (narrating within Revā Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-associated Śaiva kṣetra (episode of nāma-pradāna)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The gods avert their faces in reverent modesty as the radiant maiden stands near Śiva; Śiva raises a hand in blessing and pronounces her name, which appears as luminous syllables in the air.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Pinākadhṛk (Śiva)
• Kanyā (future Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s authority is anchored in divine sanction—Śiva himself confers identity and sacred status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Narmadā/Revā is glorified through the act of naming by Śiva, establishing her as a foremost sacred river.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No; the verse focuses on consecration-by-naming, a theological foundation for later pilgrimage merit.