Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

चतुर्थं चाप्यतिबलं ख्यातं कुसुममालिनम् । ततः स्थाणुर्ददौ देवो महापारिषदं क्रतुम्

Transliteration

caturthaṃ cāpyatibalaṃ khyātaṃ kusumamālinam | tataḥ sthāṇurdadau devo mahāpāriṣadaṃ kratum

Translation

Der vierte, berühmt und überaus kraftvoll, war Kusumamālin. Daraufhin verlieh der Gott Sthāṇu (Śiva) den großen Gaṇa-Gefährten namens Kratu.

Word by Word

• चतुर्थम्: the fourth
• चतुर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying अतिबलम्/क्रतुम् as 'the fourth')

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (particle: also)

• अतिबलम्: very strong
• अतिबलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati-bala (प्रातिपदिक; अति + बल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying क्रतुम्/व्यक्ति)

• ख्यातम्: renowned
• ख्यातम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khyāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √khyā (ख्या धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• कुसुममालिनम्: Kusumamālin
• कुसुममालिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kusuma-mālin (प्रातिपदिक; कुसुम + मालिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa/Avadhi (अधिकरण/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: thereafter/from there)

• स्थाणुः: Sthāṇu (Śiva)
• स्थाणुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धा॒ धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-विशेषण (apposition to स्थाणुः)

• महापारिषदम्: a great attendant (of the gaṇa)
• महापारिषदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-pāriṣada (प्रातिपदिक; महा + पारिषद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying क्रतुम्)

• क्रतुम्: Kratu
• क्रतुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kratu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kusumamālin, famed and exceedingly strong, stands as the ‘fourth’ attendant; then Śiva (Sthāṇu), austere and radiant, bestows the great gaṇa-attendant Kratu, completing the protective circle around Kumāra.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Sthāṇu)
• Kusumamālin
• Kratu
• Skanda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s grace empowers Skanda’s mission—divine authority is transmitted through appointed servants of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the verse centers on Śiva’s gifting of gaṇa-attendants.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative listing of divinely appointed beings.