Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

लोमश उवाच । एवमभ्यर्थितो देवैर्हिमवान्गिरिसत्तमः । उवाच देवान्प्रहसन्वाक्यं वाक्यविदां वरः

Transliteration

lomaśa uvāca | evamabhyarthito devairhimavāngirisattamaḥ | uvāca devānprahasanvākyaṃ vākyavidāṃ varaḥ

Translation

Lomaśa sprach: So von den Devas erbeten, wandte sich Himavān—der Beste der Berge—lächelnd mit Worten an sie, er, der Vornehmste unter den Kundigen der Rede.

Word by Word

• लोमशः: Lomaśa (sage)
• लोमशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोमश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• अभ्यर्थितः: having been requested
• अभ्यर्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि+अर्थ् (धातु) → अभ्यर्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• हिमवान्: Himavān (the Himalaya)
• हिमवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गिरिसत्तमः: best of mountains
• गिरिसत्तमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘best of mountains’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन

• प्रहसन्: smiling/laughing
• प्रहसन्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+हस् (धातु) → प्रहसत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वाक्यविदाम्: of the knowers of speech
• वाक्यविदाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (धातु) → विद् (प्रातिपदिक: विद्/विद्वस्)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘of those who know speech/words’); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• वरः: the best
• वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaśa (narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (contextual frame) / Himālaya-pradeśa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine assembly in the high Himalaya: Devas petition Himavān; the personified mountain-king smiles, poised to speak with measured authority.

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Himavān (Himālaya)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic teaching often unfolds through respectful dialogue; wisdom is conveyed with composure and clarity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Himālaya as a sacred axis of Kedāra tradition; the verse sets the scene rather than naming a single tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative transition identifying speaker and setting.