Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 166

Devanagari script

दूरस्थेनापि तार्क्ष्येण नतकंधरधारिणा । सेव्यमानं श्रिया कांत्या क्षांत्या वृत्त्या दयादिभिः

Transliteration

dūrasthenāpi tārkṣyeṇa natakaṃdharadhāriṇā | sevyamānaṃ śriyā kāṃtyā kṣāṃtyā vṛttyā dayādibhiḥ

Translation

Selbst aus der Ferne diente Tārkṣya (Garuḍa) ihm mit geneigtem Nacken; und er wurde von Śrī bedient—durch Glanz, Geduld, rechte Lebensführung, Mitgefühl und dergleichen Tugenden.

Word by Word

• दूरस्थेन: by (one) stationed far away
• दूरस्थेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूरस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन — masculine instrumental singular; ‘by one who is far away’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अपि—समुच्चय/अपवाद/अपि-भाव) — particle ‘even/also’

• तार्क्ष्येण: by Tārkṣya (Garuḍa)
• तार्क्ष्येण: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक; गरुड-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन — masculine instrumental singular

• नत: bowed
• नत: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत (√नम् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद) — masculine nominative singular as compound member; ‘bowed’

• कन्धर: neck
• कन्धर: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद) — feminine nominative singular as compound member; ‘neck’

• धारिणा: by the bearer (having)
• धारिणा: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √धृ धातु, इन्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन — masculine instrumental singular; ‘bearing/holding’

• सेव्यमानम्: being served
• सेव्यमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव्यमान (√सेव् धातु, शानच्-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन — neuter sg (acc./nom.), passive present participle ‘being served’

• श्रिया: by Śrī (prosperity/Lakṣmī)
• श्रिया: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन — feminine instrumental singular

• कान्त्या: by radiance/beauty
• कान्त्या: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन — feminine instrumental singular

• क्षान्त्या: by forbearance
• क्षान्त्या: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन — feminine instrumental singular

• वृत्त्या: by conduct/behavior
• वृत्त्या: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन — feminine instrumental singular

• दयादिभिः: by compassion and other (qualities)
• दयादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; दया + आदि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन — neuter instrumental plural; ‘by compassion and the like (virtues)’

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience within the Kedāra narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu in repose or seated in majesty; Garuḍa stands at a respectful distance with bowed neck; around the Lord, personified virtues—splendor, patience, compassion—are suggested as radiant attendants alongside Lakṣmī.

Characters & Entities

• Tārkṣya (Garuḍa)
• Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True sovereignty is surrounded by humility and virtue—devotion expresses itself as reverence, patience, compassion, and righteous conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kṣīrābdhi remains the implied sacred setting of Viṣṇu’s court.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse lists ethical-spiritual qualities as forms of service.