Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

बाणासुरप्रभृतिभिर्जम्भशुम्भपुरोगमैः । वध्यमाना ह्यनेकैश्च ब्रह्माणं शरणं गताः

Transliteration

bāṇāsuraprabhṛtibhirjambhaśumbhapurogamaiḥ | vadhyamānā hyanekaiśca brahmāṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ

Translation

Bị nhiều kẻ sát phạt, đứng đầu là Bāṇāsura, lại có Jambha và Śumbha theo cùng, chư thiên bèn tìm đến nương tựa nơi Phạm Thiên (Brahmā).

Word by Word

• बाणासुरप्रभृतिभिः: by (those) beginning with Bāṇāsura
• बाणासुरप्रभृतिभिः: Karana (Agent/Instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाणासुर-प्रभृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (बाणासुरः प्रभृतिः येषां ते) ‘बाणासुरादिभिः’

• जम्भशुम्भपुरोगमैः: with Jambha and Śumbha as leaders
• जम्भशुम्भपुरोगमैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जम्भ-शुम्भ-पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद + तत्पुरुषार्थः: ‘जम्भशुम्भौ पुरोगमौ येषां ते’

• वध्यमानाः: being slain/attacked
• वध्यमानाः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-विशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकर्मणि कृदन्त (Present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘वध्यन्ते’ इत्यर्थः

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• अनेकैः: by many (others)
• अनेकैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (बाणासुरप्रभृतिभिः इत्यादि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

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

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Karma (Goal/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘शरणं गम्’ इति क्रियायोगे गत्यर्थकर्म

• गताः: went, resorted
• गताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (Past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘गच्छितवन्तः’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Revā Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jāleśvara (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍunandana

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas, wounded and anxious, approach Brahmā’s luminous court; in the background loom asura leaders—Bāṇāsura, Jambha, Śumbha—suggested through banners and fierce silhouettes.

Characters & Entities

• Bāṇāsura
• Jambha
• Śumbha
• Brahmā
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When overpowered by adharma, the devas model śaraṇāgati—humble refuge in a higher divine order rather than prideful self-reliance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is narrative setup within the Revā Khaṇḍa (Narmadā/Revā region); it does not name a specific tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it focuses on the devas’ flight and taking refuge.