Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

श्रीमहेश उवाच । प्रविष्टो दानवो यत्र कथयामि नराधिप । पाताललोकमाश्रित्य कन्या विध्वंसते तु सः

Transliteration

śrīmaheśa uvāca | praviṣṭo dānavo yatra kathayāmi narādhipa | pātālalokamāśritya kanyā vidhvaṃsate tu saḥ

Translation

శ్రీమహేశుడు పలికెను—ఓ నరాధిపా, ఆ దానవుడు ఎక్కడ ప్రవేశించాడో నేను చెబుతాను. పాతాళలోకాన్ని ఆశ్రయించి అతడు కన్యలను పీడించి విధ్వంసం చేస్తాడు.

Word by Word

• श्रीमहेशः: Śrī Maheśa (Lord Śiva)
• श्रीमहेशः: Karta (Speaker/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमहेश (प्रातिपदिक) = श्री + महेश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• प्रविष्टः: entered
• प्रविष्टः: Karta (as predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु) → प्रविष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying दानवः)

• दानवः: demon
• दानवः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (relative adverb of place)

• कथयामि: I tell
• कथयामि: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• नराधिप: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप (प्रातिपदिक) = नर + अधिप
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• पाताललोकम्: the netherworld
• पाताललोकम्: Karma (Object of आश्रित्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताललोक (प्रातिपदिक) = पाताल + लोक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: Kriya (Gerundial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + श्रि (धातु) → आश्रित्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• कन्या: the maiden
• कन्या: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विध्वंसते: is being destroyed / perishes
• विध्वंसते: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ध्वंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

Speaker

Śrī Maheśa (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) region (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nara-adhipa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śrī Maheśa addresses the king, revealing the demon’s hiding in Pātāla and the suffering of maidens; a dark subterranean vista implied behind the narration.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśa (Śiva)
• Andhaka
• Pātāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma manifests as harm to the vulnerable; divine narration highlights the duty to protect and restore order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No pilgrimage site is praised in this line; the verse locates the threat in Pātāla to set the stage for divine intervention.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive, explaining the demon’s location and wrongdoing.