Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

प्रशमादर्चिषामेतदनुद्गीर्णं सुरायुधम् । वृत्रस्य हन्तुः कुलिशं कुण्ठितश्रीव लक्ष्यते

Transliteration

praśamādarciṣāmetadanudgīrṇaṃ surāyudham | vṛtrasya hantuḥ kuliśaṃ kuṇṭhitaśrīva lakṣyate

Translation

อาวุธของเหล่าเทพมิได้ลุกโชติช่วงดังเดิมอีกต่อไป แม้สายฟ้าวัชระของพระอินทร์ ผู้พิฆาตวฤตระ ก็แลดูประหนึ่งรัศมีสิริของมันถูกทำให้ทื่อหม่น

Word by Word

• प्रशमात्: from calmness; from subsiding
• प्रशमात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रशम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचनम्

• अर्चिषाम्: of the flames; rays
• अर्चिषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचनम्

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• अनुद्गीर्णम्: not swallowed; not devoured
• अनुद्गीर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु (उपसर्ग) + उद् (उपसर्ग) + √गॄ (धातु; ‘to swallow’) + क्त (गीर्ण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्

• सुरायुधम्: weapon of the gods
• सुरायुधम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (सुराणाम् आयुधम्)

• वृत्रस्य: of Vṛtra
• वृत्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचनम्

• हन्तुः: of the slayer
• हन्तुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचनम्

• कुलिशम्: the thunderbolt
• कुलिशम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलिश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्

• कुण्ठितश्रीः: with blunted splendor
• कुण्ठितश्रीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुण्ठित (कृदन्त; √कुण्ठ्/√कुण्ठय् क्त) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्

• इव: as if
• इव: Upama-sambandha (Comparison/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• लक्ष्यते: is seen; appears
• लक्ष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Brahmā (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) narrative frame

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devas; also the king in narrative frame indirectly

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra’s vajra is shown dull and unblazing, its edges softened; devas stand with lowered weapons, while Brahmā observes with calm insight.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Devas
• Vṛtra
• Vṛtrahā (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When righteousness is shaken, even the instruments of power lose brilliance—victory depends on restored dharma, not mere weaponry.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated.