Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

निशम्य वचनं तस्य देवर्षेर्नारदस्य च । मुचुकुंद उवाचेदं भविता कोऽस्य मारकः

Transliteration

niśamya vacanaṃ tasya devarṣernāradasya ca | mucukuṃda uvācedaṃ bhavitā ko'sya mārakaḥ

Translation

فلما سمع مُچوكُندا كلام الرِّشي الإلهي نارَدَة قال: «فمَن إذن يكون قاتِلَه؟»

Word by Word

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having heard/listened’

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; genitive ‘of him’

• देव-ऋषेः: of the divine sage
• देव-ऋषेः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (देवर्षि = ‘divine sage’); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• नारदस्य: of Nārada
• नारदस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मुचुकुन्दः: Mucukunda
• मुचुकुन्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुचुकुन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karman (कर्म) / Quoted content
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘this’ (as quoted content)

• भविता: will be
• भविता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्/Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; interrogative ‘who?’

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; genitive ‘of him/of this (one)’

• मारकः: slayer/killer
• मारकः: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; agent noun ‘killer’

Speaker

Mucukunda (replying to Nārada)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mucukunda lowers his weapon slightly, face shifting from wrath to earnest questioning, while Nārada listens—poised to reveal the destined slayer.

Characters & Entities

• Mucukunda
• Nārada
• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma includes inquiry and humility—seeking guidance from sages to align one’s action with the divine plan.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakṣetra remains the narrative frame (Kedārakhaṇḍa), connecting the episode to Śiva’s sacred territory.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a question that advances the theological plot (who is destined to remove adharma).