Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

आश्वस्य च मुहूर्तेन उन्मत्त इव संस्तदा । निरीक्ष्य च दिशः सर्वा इदं वचनमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

āśvasya ca muhūrtena unmatta iva saṃstadā | nirīkṣya ca diśaḥ sarvā idaṃ vacanamabravīt

Translation

ครั้นสงบใจอยู่ชั่วครู่ เขาก็ลุกขึ้นราวกับผู้หลงงง แล้วทอดพระเนตรไปทุกทิศ ก่อนตรัสถ้อยคำนี้

Word by Word

• आश्वस्य: having regained composure
• आश्वस्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्वस् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्यय-भावकृदन्त (absolutive) from ā-√श्वस् = ‘having recovered breath/being consoled’; अव्ययत्वेन प्रयोगः

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• मुहूर्तेन: in a moment / after a short while
• मुहूर्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचनम्; काल-करणम् (instrumental of time)

• उन्मत्तः: mad / distraught
• उन्मत्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उन्मत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (राज्ञः)

• इव: as if
• इव: Upama-marker (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उपमा-वाचक-निपातः

• सन्: being
• सन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ) from √अस्; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘being’

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (temporal adverb)

• निरीक्ष्य: having looked around
• निरीक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावकृदन्त (gerund) = ‘having looked/examined’

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचनम्

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (दिशः)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Rājā (the king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king rises unsteadily, eyes wide, scanning the four directions as if seeking an unseen culprit; priests and attendants watch, the altar still quiet.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma seems disrupted, one should respond with alertness and inquiry rather than panic—seeking clarity before action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting belongs to the Revā Khaṇḍa (Narmadā/Revā sacred geography), though this verse itself is a narrative transition rather than direct tīrtha-praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription here; it introduces a consultation about an irregularity connected to the sacrificial fire.