Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा भगवतो वाक्यमदितिस्तमुवाचह । भगवन्पराजिता देवा असुरैर्बलवत्तरैः । तान्रक्ष शरणापन्नासुरान्सर्वाञ्जनार्दन

Transliteration

śrutvā bhagavato vākyamaditistamuvācaha | bhagavanparājitā devā asurairbalavattaraiḥ | tānrakṣa śaraṇāpannāsurānsarvāñjanārdana

Translation

Als Aditi die Worte des Herrn vernahm, sprach sie zu Ihm: „O Herr, die Devas sind von den stärkeren Asuras besiegt worden. Beschütze alle diese Götter, die Zuflucht gesucht haben — o Janārdana.“

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having heard’

• भगवतः: of the Lord
• भगवतः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: the statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object of hearing/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अदितिः: Aditi
• अदितिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object of speaking/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: स्मरण/वृत्तान्तसूचक अव्यय (narrative particle)

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• पराजिताः: defeated
• पराजिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराजित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; देवा इति विशेषण

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• असुरैः: by the asuras
• असुरैः: Karana (Agent in passive sense/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• बलवत्तरैः: stronger
• बलवत्तरैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक) → बलवत्तर (तर-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; असुरैः इति विशेषण; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• रक्ष: protect
• रक्ष: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शरणापन्नान्: who have sought refuge
• शरणापन्नान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक) + आपन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष ‘शरणम् आपन्न’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; तान् इति विशेषण

• सुरान्: the gods
• सुरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; सुरान् इति विशेषण

• जनार्दन: O Janārdana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; विष्णोः नाम

Speaker

Aditi

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Aditi, distressed yet composed, petitions Viṣṇu: devas defeated by stronger asuras; she asks him to protect the refuge-seeking gods.

Characters & Entities

• Aditi
• Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• Devas
• Asuras
• Śaraṇāgati

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When righteous forces are overwhelmed, refuge in the Lord (śaraṇāgati) becomes the decisive spiritual act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kedārakhaṇḍa’s narrative framework, but it is a cosmic plea rather than a tirtha-glorification passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual act is prescribed; the verse emphasizes prayerful surrender and petition for divine protection.