Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

कामेन रहिता लोकाः ससुरासुरमानवाः । ब्रह्माणं शरणं जग्मुर्देवा इन्द्रपुरोगमाः

Transliteration

kāmena rahitā lokāḥ sasurāsuramānavāḥ | brahmāṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ jagmurdevā indrapurogamāḥ

Translation

کاما کے اٹھ جانے سے عوالم—دیوتا، اسور اور انسان سب—خواہش سے خالی ہو گئے؛ تب اندرا کی پیشوائی میں دیوتا برہما کے پاس پناہ لینے گئے۔

Word by Word

• कामेन: by/with Kāma; due to desire
• कामेन: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument/हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• रहिताः: devoid (of)
• रहिताः: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रहित (रह् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• लोकाः: worlds/people
• लोकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ससुरासुरमानवाः: together with gods, demons, and humans
• ससुरासुरमानवाः: Visheshana (Qualifier of लोकाः/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + सुर + असुर + मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सहितार्थक ‘स-’ उपपदपूर्वक समास (सुरासुरमानवाः सहिताः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as refuge/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; (गत्यर्थे) द्वितीया

• जग्मुः: went
• जग्मुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Perfect, 3rd person, Plural

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इन्द्रपुरोगमाः: with Indra in front; led by Indra
• इन्द्रपुरोगमाः: Visheshana (Qualifier of देवाः/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्र + पुरोगम (गम् (धातु) + णिनि/अच्-प्रत्ययान्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास — ‘येषां पुरोगामी इन्द्रः ते’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator), by context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-context (episode)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A subdued, dim world without the spark of desire; devas led by Indra proceed in a solemn line to Brahmā, hands folded, faces worried.

Characters & Entities

• Kāma
• Indra
• Brahmā
• Devas
• Asuras
• Humans

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic functions operate through ordained powers; even desire has a role, and imbalance drives beings to seek higher guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is praised directly in this verse; it continues the Gaṅgā-sāgara-linked narrative arc.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes a theological consequence and the devas’ act of seeking refuge (śaraṇāgati) in Brahmā.