Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

घटिकात्रितयं यावत्तावत्कालं पुरंदर । निजासनेऽपि संस्थाप्यः कितवोऽपि ममाज्ञया

Transliteration

ghaṭikātritayaṃ yāvattāvatkālaṃ puraṃdara | nijāsane'pi saṃsthāpyaḥ kitavo'pi mamājñayā

Translation

«O Purandara (Indra), für die Dauer von drei Ghaṭikās—nur so lange—soll auf meinen Befehl sogar dieser Spieler auf deinem eigenen Thron sitzen.»

Word by Word

• ghaṭikā-tritayam: a set of three ghaṭikās (time-units)
• ghaṭikā-tritayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghaṭikā (प्रातिपदिक) + tritaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (संख्यापूर्वकः)

• yāvat: as long as / until
• yāvat: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-निर्देशक (as long as)

• tāvat-kālam: for that duration of time
• tāvat-kālam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (परिमाण-निर्देशः)

• puraṃdara: O Purandara (Indra)
• puraṃdara: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puraṃdara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8), एकवचन

• nija-āsane: on (your) own seat/throne
• nija-āsane: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nija (प्रातिपदिक) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: निजस्य आसने)

• api: also / even
• api: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (also/even)

• saṃsthāpyaḥ: should be seated/installed
• saṃsthāpyaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√sthā (धाातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः; विधिलिङ्गार्थे भाव्य/कर्तव्यतासूचकः; भविष्यत्कर्मणि/कर्तरि प्रयोगः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन ("is to be seated/placed")

• kitavaḥ: the gambler/cheat
• kitavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kitava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• api: even
• api: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (even/also)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (genitive: my)

• ājñayā: by (my) command
• ājñayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

Speaker

Guru (divine teacher/authority figure in Indra’s court) issuing an instruction to Indra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guru’s decree causes Indra (Purandara) to seat a humble gambler upon Indra’s own jeweled throne for the span of three ghaṭikās; devas look on in astonishment as cosmic order is intentionally inverted by Śiva’s command.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Purandara)
• Kitava (gambler)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Karma’s fruit can confer even royal heavenly status, but only for the exact duration earned.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra indirectly, since the cause of this reward is linked to Śiva-offering praised in Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None as a rule; it emphasizes the precise ‘time-bound’ result (three ghaṭikās) of merit.