Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

जम्भशुम्भैश्च कूष्माण्डकुहकादिभिः । वेपमानार्दिताः सर्वे ब्रह्माणमुपतस्थिरे

Transliteration

jambhaśumbhaiśca kūṣmāṇḍakuhakādibhiḥ | vepamānārditāḥ sarve brahmāṇamupatasthire

Translation

Dahil kina Jambha, Śumbha, at iba pa gaya nina Kūṣmāṇḍa at Kuhaka, silang lahat ay pinahirapan at nanginginig; kaya lumapit sila kay Brahmā upang humingi ng kanlungan at tulong.

Word by Word

• जम्भ: Jambha (name)
• जम्भ: Karta within compound
• Type: Noun
• Root: जम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• शुम्भैः: by Jambha and Śumbha
• शुम्भैः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः—जम्भ-शुम्भ (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कूष्माण्ड: Kūṣmāṇḍa (name)
• कूष्माण्ड: Karta within compound
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूष्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• कुहक: Kuhaka (name)
• कुहक: Karta within compound
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुहक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• आदिभिः: by (Kūṣmāṇḍa, Kuhaka) and others
• आदिभिः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः—कूष्माण्ड-कुहक-आदि (आदि-शब्देन ‘and others’ अर्थे)

• वेपमान: trembling
• वेपमान: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present Active Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• अर्दिताः: afflicted, distressed
• अर्दिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्द् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; समासः—वेपमान-अर्दित (कर्मधारय: ‘trembling and afflicted’)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषणम्

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• उपतस्थिरे: they approached/attended upon
• उपतस्थिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of devas, shaken and pale, approaches Brahmā’s radiant court; named asuras/dānavas loom in memory as shadowy threats; the devas’ bodies show tremor and fatigue.

Characters & Entities

• Jambha
• Śumbha
• Kūṣmāṇḍa
• Kuhaka
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In distress, the righteous seek higher counsel—turning from fear to surrender and right guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not yet; the verse moves the story toward Brahmā’s instruction connected to the Revā (Narmadā) tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it narrates the devas’ approach to Brahmā.