Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

एवं प्रक्षालयाने च पादौ तत्र वृकोदरे । उपरिस्थस्तदा प्राह सत्यं सुहृदयो वचः

Transliteration

evaṃ prakṣālayāne ca pādau tatra vṛkodare | uparisthastadā prāha satyaṃ suhṛdayo vacaḥ

Translation

وبينما كان فِرْكودَرا يغسل قدميه هناك على تلك الحال، تكلّم من كان واقفًا في الأعلى حينئذٍ بكلمات صادقة صادرة عن قلبٍ ودود.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: “thus”)

• प्रक्षालयाने: while washing
• प्रक्षालयाने: Adhikaraṇa (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-क्षल् (धातु) + यान (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले (present participle); सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular)

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

• पादौ: (the) two feet
• पादौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; द्विवचन (Accusative dual)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place: “there”)

• वृकोदरे: O Vṛkodara (Bhīma)
• वृकोदरे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक-उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वृकस्य उदरम् इव); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन (Vocative/Locative form used as संबोधन here)

• उपरिस्थः: standing above/over (him)
• उपरिस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपरि-स्थ (धातु √स्था) (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘स्थित’; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal modifier/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: “then”)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सत्यम्: truly
• सत्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (indeclinable accusative used adverbially); सत्यार्थे (as “truly”)

• सुहृदयः: kind-hearted
• सुहृदयः: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (सुन्दरः हृदयः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• वचः: words/speech
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Accusative singular)

Speaker

An unidentified being/guardian (ūparistha) addressing Bhīma (deduced; later speaks directly)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Devī-kuṇḍa

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhīma (Vṛkodara) stands at a sacred pond washing his feet; from an elevated bank/step a temple-attendant or guardian figure addresses him with earnest, truth-bearing admonition; the pond glints as a Devī-tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛkodara (Bhīma)
• Devī-kuṇḍa (context implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are protected by unseen guardians; sincere admonition is a form of grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Devī-associated kuṇḍa, treated as a sanctum of divine presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The scene sets up a correction: washing in the kuṇḍa is improper, prompting a warning.