Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

उवाच देवानेदेवेशः कस्माद्यूयमिहागताः । अहं हि पातकग्रस्तो ब्रह्महत्यापरिप्सुतः । अप्सु तिष्ठामि भो देवा एकाकी तपसान्वितः

Transliteration

uvāca devānedeveśaḥ kasmādyūyamihāgatāḥ | ahaṃ hi pātakagrasto brahmahatyāparipsutaḥ | apsu tiṣṭhāmi bho devā ekākī tapasānvitaḥ

Translation

قال ربُّ الآلهة للآلهة: «لِمَ جئتم إلى هنا؟ إنّي مُثقلٌ بالإثم، تُلاحقني تبعةُ قتلِ البراهمن. يا معشرَ الآلهة، إنّي أقيمُ في المياه وحيدًا، ملازمًا للتقشّف والنسك (تابَس)».

Word by Word

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• devān: the gods
• devān: Karma (Addressee as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• adeveśaḥ: the non-lord of gods (i.e., Indra, deprived of lordship)
• adeveśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-deva-īśa (प्रातिपदिक; देव + ईश + अ-निषेध)
• Form: समास: नञ्-तत्पुरुष (देवेशः न); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kasmāt: from what cause/why
• kasmāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• yūyam: you (all)
• yūyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• āgatāḥ: have come
• āgatāḥ: Kriyā (Resultant state/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त; past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘yūyam’ इत्यस्य विधेय

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed/for)

• pātaka-grastaḥ: seized by sin
• pātaka-grastaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pātaka (प्रातिपदिक) + grasta (कृदन्त; √gras, क्त)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (पातकेन ग्रस्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (aham)

• brahmahatyā-paripsutaḥ: pursued/tormented by brahmahatyā
• brahmahatyā-paripsutaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahma-hatyā (प्रातिपदिक) + paripsuta (कृदन्त; pari-√psu/√pṣ, क्त)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्महत्यया परिप्सुतः/परिपीडितः-अर्थे); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (aham)

• apsu: in the waters
• apsu: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ap (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• tiṣṭhāmi: I remain/stand
• tiṣṭhāmi: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• bho: O!
• bho: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bho (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• devāḥ: O gods
• devāḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), बहुवचन

• ekākī: alone
• ekākī: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekākin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (aham)

• tapasā: with austerity
• tapasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• anvitaḥ: endowed/associated
• anvitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-√i (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त; past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (aham)

Speaker

Śakra (Indra / Deveśa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, lord of the gods, speaks candidly: he is afflicted by brahmahatyā and therefore stays alone in the waters performing austerity; devas stand at the shore listening.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Devas
• Brahmahatyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Acknowledging one’s wrongdoing and undertaking tapas (austerity) are presented as steps toward purification from grave sin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse situates Indra in sacred waters within the Kedārakhaṇḍa landscape, implying a tirtha-like setting used for expiation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Staying in water while practicing tapas is implied as an expiatory discipline, though no formal rite is detailed.