Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

एवं हि कश्यपेनोक्तं श्रुत्वाऽदितिरथाचरत् । व्रतं सांवत्सरं यावन्नियमेन समन्वितता

Transliteration

evaṃ hi kaśyapenoktaṃ śrutvā'ditirathācarat | vrataṃ sāṃvatsaraṃ yāvanniyamena samanvitatā

Translation

Nachdem Aditi vernommen hatte, was Kaśyapa so gesprochen hatte, handelte sie danach. Ein volles Jahr lang übte sie das Gelübde, ausgestattet mit Disziplin und geregelter Selbstzucht.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• कश्यपेन: by Kaśyapa
• कश्यपेन: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• उक्तम्: said/spoken
• उक्तम्: Karma (Object; content spoken)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मवाच्य-भाव (said/spoken)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• अदितिः: Aditi
• अदितिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/thereupon)

• अचरत्: performed/practised
• अचरत्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg imperfect)

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• सांवत्सरम्: for a year/annual
• सांवत्सरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सांवत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying व्रतम्)

• यावत्: until/as long as
• यावत्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्धशब्द)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-सूचक (as long as/until)

• नियमेन: with discipline/restraint
• नियमेन: Karaṇa (Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• समन्वितता: endowed/associated (with)
• समन्वितता: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+अन्वि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; (पाठभेद: समन्विता) विशेषण (qualifying अदितिः)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/‘dvijāḥ’ audience (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Aditi, serene and resolute, observes a year-long vow under Kaśyapa’s guidance—simple attire, controlled senses, daily worship implements arranged; the Himalayan sacred ambience implied by the Kedāra frame.

Characters & Entities

• Kaśyapa
• Aditi
• Vrata
• Niyama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Instruction becomes transformative only when followed with long-term discipline and niyama.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage belongs to Kedārakhaṇḍa’s sacred setting, though this verse highlights the vrata narrative rather than a tirtha description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To observe the vow continuously for a year, maintaining prescribed restraints (niyamas).