Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

इति भैमेर्वचः श्रुत्वा प्रस्खलंती निशाचरी । प्रासादशिखरस्थां तां मौर्वीमेवं वचोवदत्

Transliteration

iti bhaimervacaḥ śrutvā praskhalaṃtī niśācarī | prāsādaśikharasthāṃ tāṃ maurvīmevaṃ vacovadat

Translation

Als sie diese Worte des Sohnes Bhīmas vernommen hatte, sprach die nachts umhergehende Frau (die Dienerin), in der Eile strauchelnd, so zu Maurvī, die auf dem Palastdach stand.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उक्त्यर्थक (quotative particle)

• भैमेः: of Bhaima (Bhīma’s)
• भैमेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): having heard

• प्रस्खलन्ती: stumbling
• प्रस्खलन्ती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + स्खल् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle, शतृ); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निशाचरी: the night-wanderer (female demoness)
• निशाचरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रासादशिखरस्थाम्: standing on the palace-rooftop
• प्रासादशिखरस्थाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रासाद + शिखर + स्थ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रासादस्य शिखरे स्थिता)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मौर्वी: Maurvī (name)
• मौर्वी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)

• वचः: words
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (वदत् इत्यस्य कर्म)

• वदत्: said/spoke
• वदत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (पाठे ‘वचोवदत्’ = वचः + अवदत्)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Māheśvarakhaṇḍa framing)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A night-roaming maidservant, stumbling in haste, rushes to address Maurvī standing on the palace rooftop; the scene is lit by moonlight and lamps, with height and urgency emphasized.

Characters & Entities

• Bhīma
• Ghaṭotkaca
• niśācarī
• Maurvī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It sets narrative causality: speech prompts swift action, showing how desire-driven messages propel events.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.