Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

निशम्य वचनं तेषां किं दातव्यं तदुच्यताम्

Transliteration

niśamya vacanaṃ teṣāṃ kiṃ dātavyaṃ taducyatām

Translation

Nachdem er ihre Worte vernommen hatte, (sprach er): „Was soll gegeben werden? Sprecht es aus.“

Word by Word

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातुः: शम् (to hear/attend) उपसर्गः नि-; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण

• वचनम्: speech/statement
• वचनम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन, सर्वनाम

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• दातव्यम्: to be given/should be given
• दातव्यम्: Vidheyāṅga (Predicate complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive/Obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विधेयभावः (what is to be given)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; निर्देशार्थक

• उच्यताम्: let it be said/please state
• उच्यताम्: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Viprarṣi (the brāhmaṇa sage)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A questioning sage/assembly (typical Purāṇic śravaṇa setting; not explicit in the verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene hermitage in the Himalayan Kedāra region; a sage listens to a delegation of devas and asks calmly what gift is required.

Characters & Entities

• Viprarṣi
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The dharmic giver listens first and then invites clarity—right action begins with discerning the need.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra region is the textual setting, though the verse focuses on the ethical exchange of request and giving.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; it introduces the forthcoming request for a specific ‘dāna’.