Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

श्रूयते येन विक्रम्य महेशानोऽपि निर्जितः । स्वर्लोकसंस्थितस्यास्य शरणं याहि स्तौषि च

Transliteration

śrūyate yena vikramya maheśāno'pi nirjitaḥ | svarlokasaṃsthitasyāsya śaraṇaṃ yāhi stauṣi ca

Translation

Man hört, dass durch seinen machtvollen Schritt selbst Maheśāna (Śiva) bezwungen wurde. Darum geh zu diesem, der in Svarga weilt: nimm bei ihm Zuflucht und preise ihn zugleich.

Word by Word

• śrūyate: is heard / is said
• śrūyate: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• yena: by whom / by which
• yena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• vikramya: having strode/advanced; having shown prowess
• vikramya: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vi-kram (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• maheśānaḥ: Maheśāna (Śiva)
• maheśānaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अर्थः ‘even/also’

• nirjitaḥ: conquered/defeated
• nirjitaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-ji (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• svarloka-saṃsthitasyā: of (her) who is situated in Svarga-loka
• svarloka-saṃsthitasyā: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarloka (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• asya: of this (one)
• asya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• yāhi: go
• yāhi: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• stauṣi: you praise
• stauṣi: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

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

Speaker

Deducted (contextual): A Pāṇḍava addressing Yudhiṣṭhira

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (implied by nearby verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial court scene: a speaker urges another to approach a radiant figure seated in Svarga, recalling a legendary ‘mighty stride’ that even Maheśāna could not surpass; hands folded in śaraṇāgati, attendants and devas witnessing.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśāna (Śiva)
• Svarga (Svaḥloka)
• Arjuna (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seek śaraṇāgati (refuge) in the truly worthy and express reverent praise; greatness is recognized through sacred testimony (śruti/it is heard).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the verse emphasizes refuge and praise rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is stated; “stauṣi” implies devotional praise as a dhārmic act.