Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

पूजयित्वा शांकरिं ते पुनः क्षीरार्णवं ययुः । ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च ऋषयो देवदैत्याः सुरोत्तमाः

Transliteration

pūjayitvā śāṃkariṃ te punaḥ kṣīrārṇavaṃ yayuḥ | brahmā viṣṇuśca ṛṣayo devadaityāḥ surottamāḥ

Translation

Nachdem sie Śāṃkarī verehrt hatten, kehrten sie wieder zum Milchozean zurück — Brahmā, Viṣṇu, die ṛṣis und die Besten unter Devas und Daityas.

Word by Word

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अर्थः: पूजयित्वा (having worshipped)

• शांकरिम्: Śāṅkarī (of Śaṅkara)
• शांकरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शांकरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; कर्म (Śāṅkarī—goddess/that which belongs to Śaṅkara)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; कर्ता (they)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = adverb ‘again’

• क्षीरार्णवम्: the ocean of milk
• क्षीरार्णवम्: Karma (Object/Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर + अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; कर्म; कर्मधारयः: क्षीरः अर्णवः (ocean of milk)

• ययुः: went
• ययुः: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; अर्थः: ययुः (went)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्तृ-समुच्चय (Brahmā)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्तृ-समुच्चय (Viṣṇu)

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

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; कर्तृ-समुच्चय (sages)

• देवदैत्याः: gods and daityas
• देवदैत्याः: Karta (Subject/apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः: देवाः च दैत्याः च (gods and daityas)

• सुरोत्तमाः: the foremost suras
• सुरोत्तमाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुर + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः: उत्तमाः सुराः (best of the gods); ‘देवदैत्याः/ऋषयः’ इत्यादीनां विशेषणरूपेण (as an epithet)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kṣīrārṇava

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand procession of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, ṛṣis, devas and daityas moves from a Śaiva worship site toward the luminous, otherworldly Ocean of Milk, whose waves gleam like white nectar.

Characters & Entities

• Śāṃkarī
• Kṣīrārṇava (Ocean of Milk)
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Ṛṣis
• Devas
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even cosmic undertakings succeed when preceded by honoring Śaiva divinity—worship aligns all parties for a dharmic goal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate geography shifts to the mythic Kṣīrārṇava (Ocean of Milk), within the broader Kedārakhaṇḍa storytelling frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship (pūjā) of Śāṃkarī prior to undertaking the next sacred action.