Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

तथा जात्यश्च विविधाः क्रीडायुक्ताः परस्परम् । नकुलैः सह सर्पाश्च क्रीडायुक्ताः परस्परम्

Transliteration

tathā jātyaśca vividhāḥ krīḍāyuktāḥ parasparam | nakulaiḥ saha sarpāśca krīḍāyuktāḥ parasparam

Translation

وكذلك كانت أنواعٌ شتّى تتلاعب فيما بينها؛ بل إنّ الحيّات، مع النَّكولا (النمس)، كانت تتلاعب متآلفةً فيما بينها.

Word by Word

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Adhikarana/Prayojana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• jātyaḥ: (creatures) of various kinds/species
• jātyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jātiya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; जातिविशेषाः (various species/creatures)

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

• vividhāḥ: various
• vividhāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (various)

• krīḍā-yuktāḥ: engaged in play
• krīḍā-yuktāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krīḍā (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (कृदन्त; √yuj (युज्) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (engaged in play)

• parasparam: with one another
• parasparam: Adhikarana/Prayojana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paraspara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (reciprocal adverb)

• nakulaiḥ: with mongooses
• nakulaiḥ: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक अव्यय (with)

• sarpāḥ: snakes
• sarpāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarpa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• krīḍā-yuktāḥ: engaged in play
• krīḍā-yuktāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krīḍā (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (कृदन्त; √yuj (युज्) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• parasparam: mutually
• parasparam: Adhikarana/Prayojana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paraspara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (reciprocal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedārakṣetra / Kedāra-āśrama

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A playful tableau in the hermitage: diverse animals mingle; serpents and mongooses, normally enemies, are shown in harmless play, watched by serene ascetics.

Characters & Entities

• Snakes
• Mongooses
• Dadhīci

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual power is evidenced by reconciliation—deep sanctity dissolves instinctive conflict.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra-region āśrama milieu is exalted as a peace-bestowing sacred zone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse functions as a mahātmya-style description of the sacred atmosphere.