Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्महार्णवे घोरे नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे । मयूरं स्वर्णपत्राढ्यमपश्यंसहसा जले । विचित्रचन्द्रकोपेतं नीलकंठं सुलोचनम्

Transliteration

tasminmahārṇave ghore naṣṭe sthāvarajaṅgame | mayūraṃ svarṇapatrāḍhyamapaśyaṃsahasā jale | vicitracandrakopetaṃ nīlakaṃṭhaṃ sulocanam

Translation

ସେଇ ଭୟଙ୍କର ମହାର୍ଣ୍ଣବରେ ସ୍ଥାବର-ଜଙ୍ଗମ ସବୁ ନଷ୍ଟ ହେଲାପରେ, ମୁଁ ହଠାତ୍ ଜଳରେ ସୁବର୍ଣ୍ଣ ପକ୍ଷରେ ଶୋଭିତ ଏକ ମୟୂରକୁ ଦେଖିଲି—ବିଚିତ୍ର ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରସଦୃଶ କଲଗୀଯୁକ୍ତ, ନୀଳକଣ୍ଠ ଓ ସୁଲୋଚନ।

Word by Word

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• mahārṇave: in the great ocean
• mahārṇave: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + arṇava (प्रातिपदिक; महा + अर्णव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ghore: terrible
• ghore: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying mahārṇave)

• naṣṭe: when (it was) destroyed
• naṣṭe: Adhikaraṇa (Circumstance/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √naś (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle): ‘having perished/when destroyed’

• sthāvara-jaṅgame: among immobile and mobile (beings)
• sthāvara-jaṅgame: Adhikaraṇa (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāvara + jaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक; स्थावर + जङ्गम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः—स्थावरं च जङ्गमं च (immobile and mobile beings)

• mayūram: a peacock
• mayūram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mayūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• svarṇapatrāḍhyam: adorned with golden feathers
• svarṇapatrāḍhyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarṇa + patra + āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक; स्वर्ण + पत्र + आढ्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; स्वर्णपत्र-आढ्य = ‘rich/abounding in golden feathers/leaves’

• apaśyam: I saw
• apaśyam: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• sahasā: suddenly
• sahasā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): अकस्मात्/शीघ्रम् (suddenly)

• jale: in the water
• jale: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• vicitra-candraka-upetam: endowed with variegated moon-like markings
• vicitra-candraka-upetam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vicitra + candraka + upeta (प्रातिपदिक; विचित्र + चन्द्रक + उपेत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपेत = ‘endowed with’; विचित्रचन्द्रक = ‘variegated moon-like marks’

• nīlakaṇṭham: blue-necked
• nīlakaṇṭham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक; नील + कण्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नीलकण्ठ = ‘blue-necked’

• sulocanam: beautiful-eyed
• sulocanam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + locana (प्रातिपदिक; सु + लोचन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सुलोचन = ‘having beautiful eyes’

Speaker

First-person narrator (identity not explicit in snippet; likely the section’s narrator recounting events)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) – implied; pralaya-ocean setting

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On dark pralaya waters, a radiant peacock with golden feathering appears suddenly; blue throat gleams; eyes gentle; crest like a small moon-disc; no other life visible.

Characters & Entities

• Mayūra (peacock)
• Nīlakaṇṭha (epithet of Śiva, implied)
• Mahārṇava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even amid total dissolution, divine presence manifests to guide and protect, revealing the Lord’s sovereignty beyond catastrophe.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tirtha is named; the verse supports the Revā Khaṇḍa’s sacred frame by narrating divine manifestation associated with the cosmic waters.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.