Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

तावज्झटिति सा कन्या ज्वालामालाविभूषिता । हुतभुक्सदृशाकारा किं करोमीति चाब्रवीत्

Transliteration

tāvajjhaṭiti sā kanyā jvālāmālāvibhūṣitā | hutabhuksadṛśākārā kiṃ karomīti cābravīt

Translation

ତତ୍କ୍ଷଣାତ୍ ଝଟିତି ଜ୍ୱାଲାମାଳାରେ ବିଭୂଷିତ ସେ କନ୍ୟା ପ୍ରକଟ ହେଲା; ତାହାର ଆକାର ହୁତଭୁକ୍ (ଆହୁତି-ଭୋଜୀ ଅଗ୍ନି) ସଦୃଶ। ସେ କହିଲା—“ମୁଁ କ’ଣ କରିବି?”

Word by Word

• तावत्: just then
• तावत्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम-प्रयोग)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (तावत् = तदा/तत्क्षणम्) — temporal adverb

• झटिति: suddenly, in a flash
• झटिति: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: झटिति (अव्यय)
• Form: ध्वन्यनुकरण-अव्यय (onomatopoeic adverb) — indeclinable

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular; सर्वनाम

• कन्या: maiden, girl
• कन्या: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• ज्वाला-माला-विभूषिता: adorned with a garland of flames
• ज्वाला-माला-विभूषिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक) + विभूषित (कृदन्त; √भूष्)
• Form: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/करण-सम्बन्धः (ज्वालामालया विभूषिता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular; past participle used adjectivally

• हुतभुक्-सदृश-आकारा: having a form like the fire (eater of oblations)
• हुतभुक्-सदृश-आकारा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हुतभुज् (प्रातिपदिक) + सदृश (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हुतभुजः सदृशः) + तत्पुरुषः (सदृश-आकार); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; interrogative

• करोमि: shall I do / do I do
• करोमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु; √कृ)
• Form: लट् (परस्मैपद), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन — Present, 1st person, singular

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation marker (इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्ति निपात — quotative particle

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय — conjunction

• अब्रवीत्: she said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु; √ब्रू)
• Form: लङ् (परस्मैपद), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन — Imperfect, 3rd person, singular

Speaker

Kṛtyā (the fiery maiden)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From the homa-fire rises a maiden-like kṛtyā, her body radiant, wreathed in garlands of flame; she stands poised, eyes fixed on the summoner, speaking: ‘What shall I do?’

Characters & Entities

• Kṛtyā
• Agni (Hutabhuk)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Summoned powers seek direction; therefore intention and command must be governed by dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None in this verse; it is a dramatic narrative moment within the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, the result of prior homa/mantra: a manifested Kṛtyā appears and awaits instruction.