Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

स विस्फुलिङ्गोत्करधूममिश्रं महोल्कवज्राशनिवाततुल्यम् । ततोऽट्टहासं प्रमुमोच घोरं विवृत्य वक्त्रं वडवामुखाभम्

Transliteration

sa visphuliṅgotkaradhūmamiśraṃ maholkavajrāśanivātatulyam | tato'ṭṭahāsaṃ pramumoca ghoraṃ vivṛtya vaktraṃ vaḍavāmukhābham

Translation

แล้วพระองค์ทรงอ้าพระพักตร์กว้างดุจไฟวฑวามุขะ และทรงเปล่งอัฏฏหาสอันน่าสะพรึง—ประหนึ่งพายุแห่งสายฟ้าวัชระและอุกกาบาตใหญ่ ปนควันและห่าประกายไฟ

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विस्फुलिङ्गोत्करधूममिश्रम्: mixed with heaps of sparks and smoke
• विस्फुलिङ्गोत्करधूममिश्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्फुलिङ्ग + उत्कर + धूम + मिश्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• महा-उल्का-वज्र-आशनि-वात-तुल्यम्: like a great meteor, thunderbolt, lightning and wind
• महा-उल्का-वज्र-आशनि-वात-तुल्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्/महा + उल्का + वज्र + आशनि + वात + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ततः: then/from thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अट्टहासम्: loud laughter
• अट्टहासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अट्टहास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रमुमोच: released/uttered
• प्रमुमोच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विवृत्य: having opened
• विवृत्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having opened)

• वक्त्रम्: mouth/face
• वक्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वडवामुखाभम्: resembling the mouth of a mare (submarine fire)
• वडवामुखाभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वडवा + मुख + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tirtha-region

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/Śaunaka-group (typical)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A colossal, Shiva-like figure opens his mouth wide like the mare-faced submarine fire; smoke, sparks, meteors and thunderbolt-like streaks whirl outward as a dreadful peal of laughter erupts.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Vaḍavāmukha (mare-faced fire)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The terrifying theophany teaches humility: the cosmos is not autonomous, and divine power surpasses all worldly security.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it portrays cosmic omens.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated.