Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

उवाच मधुरां वाणीं मेघगम्भीरनिस्वनाम् । किमर्थं बोधितो ब्रह्मन् समर्थैर्वः सुरासुरैः

Transliteration

uvāca madhurāṃ vāṇīṃ meghagambhīranisvanām | kimarthaṃ bodhito brahman samarthairvaḥ surāsuraiḥ

Translation

พระองค์ตรัสด้วยวาจาอันหวาน ไพเราะกังวานลึกดุจเสียงคำรามแห่งเมฆ: “โอ้พราหมณ์ เหตุไฉนพวกท่านทั้งหลาย—ทั้งเทวะและอสูร แม้มีฤทธิ์—จึงมาปลุกและทูลขอต่อเรา?”

Word by Word

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (वचँ)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मधुराम्: sweet
• मधुराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies 'vāṇīm')

• वाणीम्: speech/words
• वाणीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मेघगम्भीरनिस्वनाम्: with a deep, cloud-like resonance
• मेघगम्भीरनिस्वनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेघ-गम्भीर-निस्वन (प्रातिपदिक; मेघ=cloud + गम्भीर=deep + निस्वन=sound)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (descriptive: 'cloud-deep-sounding'); विशेषण (qualifies 'vāṇīm')

• किमर्थम्: why/for what purpose
• किमर्थम्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम्-अर्थम् (अव्यय; interrogative adverb)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: 'for what reason?')

• बोधितः: (I) was awakened
• बोधितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बोधित (कृदन्त; √बुध् (बुधँ) + णिच् + क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; 'having been awakened'

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

• समर्थैः: by capable/competent (ones)
• समर्थैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies 'surāsuraiḥ')

• वः: of you (pl.)/your
• वः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध) बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; 'of you/your'

• सुरासुरैः: by gods and asuras
• सुरासुरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-असुर (प्रातिपदिक; sura=god + asura=anti-god)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative: 'gods and asuras')

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (implied by the ensuing dialogue context)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (addressed as Brahman)
• Suras (Devas)
• Asuras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the mighty seek refuge in the Divine; true protection of dharma ultimately depends on the Lord’s will and presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Revā Khaṇḍa framework, associated with the sacred Narmadā (Revā) region, though no single tīrtha is named in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is prescribed in this shloka.