Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

हृदिस्थं देव जानामि गतं तद्वेदगर्जनात् । वेदानुच्चरतो मेऽद्य तव शङ्कर चाग्रतः

Transliteration

hṛdisthaṃ deva jānāmi gataṃ tadvedagarjanāt | vedānuccarato me'dya tava śaṅkara cāgrataḥ

Translation

ข้าแต่พระผู้เป็นเจ้า ข้ารู้ว่า สิ่งที่เคยสถิตในดวงใจข้าได้จากไป ถูกเสียงกึกก้องแห่งพระเวทพัดพาไป วันนี้เมื่อข้าขาดการสาธยายพระเวท ข้ายืนอยู่ต่อหน้าพระองค์ โอ้พระศังกร

Word by Word

• हृदिस्थम्: situated in the heart
• हृदिस्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृदि (अव्यय/सप्तमी-एकवचन-रूप) + स्थ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (हृदि स्थितम्)

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• जानामि: I know
• जानामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• गतम्: gone
• गतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (gone)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वेदगर्जनात्: from the roaring/recitation of the Veda
• वेदगर्जनात्: Apadana/Hetu (Cause/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदस्य गर्जनम्)

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• उच्चरतः: of (me) reciting/uttering
• उच्चरतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्+चर् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (uttering)

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

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• शङ्कर: O Śaṅkara
• शङ्कर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अग्रतः: in front (of you)
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: in front)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced, addressing Śiva as Śaṅkara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tirtha-cycle (contextual)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A supplicant (likely Brahmā or a Vedic personification) stands before Śaṅkara, hands folded, expressing that the Vedas once seated in his heart have departed amid a thunderous Vedic roar; the atmosphere is solemn and confessional.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse stresses that Vedic recitation is not mere sound but a bearer of inner spiritual capacity; its absence is experienced as loss and helplessness before the Divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this specific verse; it remains within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Veda-ucchāraṇa (proper recitation) is implied as essential, though no detailed procedure is given.