Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणो वचनाच्चैव कुमारेण तदा वृता । अथ सेनापतिर्जातः कुमारः शांकरिस्तदा

Transliteration

brahmaṇo vacanāccaiva kumāreṇa tadā vṛtā | atha senāpatirjātaḥ kumāraḥ śāṃkaristadā

Translation

Gemäß dem Wort Brahmās wurde sie damals von Kumāra erwählt; und eben da wurde Kumāra, der Sohn Śaṅkaras, zum Senāpati, dem Befehlshaber der Heerscharen.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• वचनात्: from the command/word
• वचनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (because of/from the word)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (only/indeed)

• कुमारेण: by Kumāra
• कुमारेण: Karana/Agent (Instrumental agent/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• वृता: was chosen
• वृता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु) → वृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकालिक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘वृता’ (was chosen)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/अनन्तर)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• सेनापतिः: commander of the army
• सेनापतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘सेनायाः पतिः’ (commander of the army)

• जातः: became
• जातः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकालिक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि—‘became/was born’

• कुमारः: Kumāra
• कुमारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शांकरिः: of Śaṅkara (Śaiva)
• शांकरिः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शांकरि (प्रातिपदिक; शंकर-सम्बन्धी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (patronymic/relational): ‘शंकरस्य’ (of Śaṅkara)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), narrating (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (protectorate of Śiva; Skanda’s empowerment context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: By Brahmā’s word, Senā is chosen by Kumāra; immediately Kumāra, Śaṅkara’s son, is established as Senāpati—commander of the divine hosts.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Kumāra (Skanda)
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Senā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine governance operates through rightful appointment—leadership is conferred for the protection of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra setting frames the episode; the verse centers on Skanda’s investiture rather than tīrtha merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.