Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

वृश्चिकैरग्निपुञ्जाभैर्गोनसैश्च विभूषिता । त्रैलोक्यं पूरयामास विस्तारेणोच्छ्रयेण च

Transliteration

vṛścikairagnipuñjābhairgonasaiśca vibhūṣitā | trailokyaṃ pūrayāmāsa vistāreṇocchrayeṇa ca

Translation

ଅଗ୍ନିପୁଞ୍ଜ ସଦୃଶ ବିଛା ଓ ମହାସର୍ପମାନେ ଦ୍ୱାରା ବିଭୂଷିତ ସେ ନିଜ ବିସ୍ତାର ଓ ଉଚ୍ଚତାରେ ତ୍ରିଲୋକକୁ ପୂରିଦେଲା।

Word by Word

• वृश्चिकैः: by scorpions
• वृश्चिकैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृश्चिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• अग्नि-पुञ्ज-आभैः: having the appearance of heaps of fire
• अग्नि-पुञ्ज-आभैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुञ्ज (प्रातिपदिक) + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन; ‘अग्निपुञ्जस्य आभा येषां ते’—fire-heap-like (in appearance), Instrumental plural agreeing with वृश्चिकैः

• गोनसैः: by (large) serpents
• गोनसैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोनस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय; conjunction

• विभूषिता: adorned, decorated
• विभूषिता: Viśeṣya-dharma (Predicate adjective/विशेष्यधर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + भूष् (धातु) → विभूषित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; Past passive participle used adjectivally

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular (object)

• पूरयामास: filled
• पूरयामास: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूरय् (धातु, णिच्) + आस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिप्रास/परस्मैपद-परिप्रयोग), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; periphrastic perfect ‘filled’

• विस्तारेण: by (her) expanse
• विस्तारेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; Instrumental singular (means/extent)

• उच्छ्रयेण: by (her) height
• उच्छ्रयेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्छ्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय; conjunction

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A colossal Raudrī/Devī form rises to fill the three worlds; her body is studded with scorpions glowing like fire-heaps and coiled with massive serpents; the horizon bends under her height and breadth.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Trailokya (three worlds)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess is not limited to a form; she is cosmic magnitude itself—capable of pervading all realms when dharma requires intervention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the Revā Khaṇḍa’s sacral atmosphere.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.