Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

एवंविधो बलिर्जातः प्रसादाच्छंकरस्य च । पुरा हि कितवत्वेन यद्दत्तं परमात्मने

Transliteration

evaṃvidho balirjātaḥ prasādācchaṃkarasya ca | purā hi kitavatvena yaddattaṃ paramātmane

Translation

So wurde Bali durch Śaṅkaras Gnade zu einem solchen. Denn einst, selbst in Unachtsamkeit oder gleichsam im Spiel, trug das, was er dem höchsten Selbst darbrachte, seine Frucht.

Word by Word

• एवंविधः: such (of this kind)
• एवंविधः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवं-विध (प्रातिपदिक; एवम् + विध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (“of such a kind”)

• बलिः: Bali
• बलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• जातः: was born/became
• जातः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रसादात्: from the grace
• प्रसादात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• शंकरस्य: of Shankara (Shiva)
• शंकरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly/once)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed/for)

• कितवत्वेन: by (his) deceitfulness/gambling nature
• कितवत्वेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कितवत्व (प्रातिपदिक; कितव + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; भाववाचक-त्वान्त (state of being a gambler/cheater)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (that which)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (here: object ‘what was given’)

• परमात्मने: to the Supreme Lord
• परमात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; परम + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (“the Supreme Self”)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A flashback-like scene: Bali’s earlier, almost playful offering to the Supreme; overlayed with a later scene of Bali transformed—radiant, revered—signifying karmic fruition through Śaṅkara’s prasāda.

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Śaṅkara
• Paramātman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s grace can elevate even an imperfect person; even a casual offering to the Supreme is never wasted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedārakhaṇḍa setting celebrates Śaṅkara’s power and mercy, a key theme in Kedāra-kṣetra māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse encourages offering (dāna/arpana) to the Supreme; it does not specify a formal ritual sequence.