Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

माधवीसल्लकीभिश्च वल्लीभिश्चाप्यलंकृता । श्वापदैर्गर्जमानैश्च गोमायुवानरादिभिः

Transliteration

mādhavīsallakībhiśca vallībhiścāpyalaṃkṛtā | śvāpadairgarjamānaiśca gomāyuvānarādibhiḥ

Translation

其岸又以摩达毗（mādhavī）与萨拉吉（sallakī）等藤蔓诸蔓而庄饰；并回响着野兽的吼鸣——豺狼、猕猴等诸类之声。

Word by Word

• माधवी-सल्लकीभिः: with mādhavī and sallakī (plants)
• माधवी-सल्लकीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधवी (प्रातिपदिक) + सल्लकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; द्वन्द्वसमासः (माधव्यः च सल्लक्यः च)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (and)

• वल्लीभिः: with creepers/vines
• वल्लीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्ली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (also/even)

• अलंकृता: adorned
• अलंकृता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलंकृत (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) क्त, उपसर्गः अलम्-)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (adorned)

• श्वापदैः: with wild beasts/predators
• श्वापदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वापद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्

• गर्जमानैः: roaring
• गर्जमानैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्जमान (कृदन्त; √गर्ज् (धातु) शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः (roaring)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः

• गोमायु-वानर-आदिभिः: with jackals, monkeys, and the like
• गोमायु-वानर-आदिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमायु (प्रातिपदिक) + वानर (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; समाहार/सूच्य-तत्पुरुषः (गोमायवः वानराः आदयः येषां ते)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapilā/Kāpila-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Thick mādhavī and sallakī creepers drape over trees; tangled vines form natural arches; the forest echoes with calls—jackals in the distance, monkeys moving in the canopy—yet the place feels protected and sacred.

Characters & Entities

• Kapilā (river region)
• Narmadā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa frames wilderness itself as sacred—nature becomes part of the tīrtha’s glory.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kapilā river tract and its vine-filled forests within the Narmadā/Amarakanṭaka sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse offers a descriptive māhātmya of the holy terrain.