Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

कामेन रहिता लोकाः ससुरासुरमानवाः । ब्रह्माणं शरणं जग्मुर्देवा इन्द्रपुरोगमाः

Transliteration

kāmena rahitā lokāḥ sasurāsuramānavāḥ | brahmāṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ jagmurdevā indrapurogamāḥ

Translation

కామం లేక దేవ, అసుర, మానవ లోకాలు నిర్జీవమైపోయాయి; అప్పుడు ఇంద్రుని ముందుండగా దేవతలు బ్రహ్మను శరణు కోరారు।

Word by Word

• कामेन: by/with Kāma; due to desire
• कामेन: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument/हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• रहिताः: devoid (of)
• रहिताः: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रहित (रह् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• लोकाः: worlds/people
• लोकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ससुरासुरमानवाः: together with gods, demons, and humans
• ससुरासुरमानवाः: Visheshana (Qualifier of लोकाः/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + सुर + असुर + मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सहितार्थक ‘स-’ उपपदपूर्वक समास (सुरासुरमानवाः सहिताः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as refuge/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; (गत्यर्थे) द्वितीया

• जग्मुः: went
• जग्मुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Perfect, 3rd person, Plural

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इन्द्रपुरोगमाः: with Indra in front; led by Indra
• इन्द्रपुरोगमाः: Visheshana (Qualifier of देवाः/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्र + पुरोगम (गम् (धातु) + णिनि/अच्-प्रत्ययान्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास — ‘येषां पुरोगामी इन्द्रः ते’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator), by context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-context (episode)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A subdued, dim world without the spark of desire; devas led by Indra proceed in a solemn line to Brahmā, hands folded, faces worried.

Characters & Entities

• Kāma
• Indra
• Brahmā
• Devas
• Asuras
• Humans

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic functions operate through ordained powers; even desire has a role, and imbalance drives beings to seek higher guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is praised directly in this verse; it continues the Gaṅgā-sāgara-linked narrative arc.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes a theological consequence and the devas’ act of seeking refuge (śaraṇāgati) in Brahmā.