Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 187

Devanagari script

इंद्र उवाच । नमो भर्गाय देवाय देवानामतिदुर्गम । वरदो भव देवेश देवानां कार्यसिद्धये

Transliteration

iṃdra uvāca | namo bhargāya devāya devānāmatidurgama | varado bhava deveśa devānāṃ kāryasiddhaye

Translation

Indra sprach: „Ehrerbietung Bharga, dem göttlichen Herrn, der selbst für die Götter schwer zu nahen ist. O Herr der Götter, werde zum Spender der Gaben, damit das Werk der Götter vollendet werde.“

Word by Word

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नमः: salutation; homage
• नमः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle); नमः-प्रयोगः (salutation)

• भर्गाय: to Bharga (radiant one; Śiva)
• भर्गाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• देवाय: to the god
• देवाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• अतिदुर्गम्: very difficult to reach
• अतिदुर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + दुर्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (अति + दुर्गम)

• वरदः: giver of boons
• वरदः: Sambodhana/Predicate (Vocative sense or predicate/सम्बोधन/विशेष्य-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भव: be (become)
• भव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवेश: O Lord of the gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् ईशः)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कार्यसिद्धये: for the accomplishment of (their) task
• कार्यसिद्धये: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कार्यस्य सिद्धिः)

Speaker

Indra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva (Bharga/Deveśa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, crowned and radiant, stands with folded hands before an austere Himalayan Śiva-presence—suggested as a liṅga or luminous form—petitioning for the gods’ mission to succeed.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Śiva (Bharga, Deveśa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the mighty must seek grace; Śiva is portrayed as transcendent and yet compassionate, granting boons for righteous purposes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly named; the prayer occurs within Kedārakhaṇḍa, aligned with Kedāra’s Śiva-centered sacred authority.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering namas (salutation) and stuti (prayer) to Śiva, seeking varada (boon-bestowing) grace.