Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तस्तु भगवान्पिङ्गलेन महात्मना । अवतारं च कृतवान् गीर्वाणानिदमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

evamuktastu bhagavānpiṅgalena mahātmanā | avatāraṃ ca kṛtavān gīrvāṇānidamabravīt

Translation

یوں مہاتما پِنگل کے کہنے پر بھگوان نے وہاں اوتار لینے کی رضا ظاہر کی اور دیوتاؤں سے یہ مقدس کلمات ارشاد فرمائے۔

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): ‘एवम्’ = thus

• उक्तः: addressed; spoken to
• उक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘उक्तः’ = having been addressed/said to

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle): contrast/emphasis

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘भगवान्’

• पिङ्गलेन: by Piṅgala
• पिङ्गलेन: Kartr̥ (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-कारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; agent in passive sense (कर्तृकरण)

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (one)
• महात्मना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘पिङ्गलेन’

• अवतारम्: an incarnation; descent
• अवतारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

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

• कृतवान्: did; performed
• कृतवान्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्तवत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (perfective past participle used as finite/परस्मैपद-भाव), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘कृतवान्’ = did/has done

• गीर्वाणान्: the gods
• गीर्वाणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; ‘देवाः’ sense

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; pronoun used as object of speech

• अब्रवीत्: said; spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrative voice (continuing Mārkaṇḍeya’s account)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devas (addressed by the Lord)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A deva-assembly around Īśvara as Piṅgala petitions; the Lord, serene yet radiant, agrees to manifest and addresses the gods, foreshadowing a sacred excavation near the riverine landscape.

Characters & Entities

• Piṅgala
• Bhagavān (Śiva)
• Gīrvāṇa (Devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When a devotee’s intent is for loka-upakāra (benefit of all), the divine readily manifests and guides the community.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The adhyāya frames the establishment of a Revā-region tīrtha connected with Piṅgala—commonly signposted as Piṅgaleśvara/Devakhāta.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual yet; it introduces Śiva’s instruction to the devas that follows.