Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

भ्रमसे ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन विस्मयो मे महान्हृदि । भ्रमतोऽत्र ममार्तस्य मुमूर्षोः प्रहतस्य

Transliteration

bhramase brūhi tattvena vismayo me mahānhṛdi | bhramato'tra mamārtasya mumūrṣoḥ prahatasya

Translation

จงบอกความจริงแก่ข้าเถิด ท่านเป็นใครที่เที่ยวไป ณ ที่นี้? ความพิศวงใหญ่หลวงบังเกิดในดวงใจข้า เมื่อข้าพเจ้าเร่ร่อนอยู่ที่นี่ ทั้งทุกข์ระทม ใกล้ความตาย และถูกกระหน่ำ…

Word by Word

• भ्रमसे: you wander
• भ्रमसे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• ब्रूहि: tell
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तत्त्वेन: truthfully
• तत्त्वेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); अव्ययीभावार्थे: 'in truth'

• विस्मयः: astonishment
• विस्मयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• हृदि: in (my) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• भ्रमतः: of (me) wandering
• भ्रमतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (Present participle), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Spatial/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• आर्तस्य: of the distressed (one)
• आर्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुमूर्षोः: of one wishing to die
• मुमूर्षोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मु-√मृ (धातु) → मुमूर्षु (इच्छार्थक कृदन्त)
• Form: इच्छार्थक कृदन्त (Desiderative participial adjective), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रहतस्य: of the struck / beaten
• प्रहतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हन् (धातु) → प्रहत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrator (rescued brāhmaṇa/devotee)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Divine rescuer (Revā/Devī implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A newly strengthened yet still shaken brāhmaṇa addresses the divine figure, hands in questioning gesture, eyes wide with wonder; the cosmic ocean surrounds them, conveying both peril and revelation.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

From suffering and helplessness arises humility and inquiry; true devotion seeks to know the divine reality (tattva).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā is again foregrounded as the saving presence whose mystery prompts theological reflection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an existential appeal and a request for truthful disclosure.