Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

हाहाकारेण महता व्याप्तमासीद्दिगंतरम् । सर्वे ते मंचमारूढाः शस्त्रैर्व्याप्ता निरंतराः

Transliteration

hāhākāreṇa mahatā vyāptamāsīddigaṃtaram | sarve te maṃcamārūḍhāḥ śastrairvyāptā niraṃtarāḥ

Translation

Mit einem großen Schrei des Wehklagens war die ganze Weite der Himmelsrichtungen erfüllt. Alle auf den Plattformen waren ständig umringt, Waffen in der Hand.

Word by Word

• हाहाकारेण: by the great cry of lamentation
• हाहाकारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हाहाकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• महता: great
• महता: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental singular; विशेषण (हाहाकारेण)

• व्याप्तम्: pervaded, filled
• व्याप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु) + वि उपसर्ग; व्याप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘आसीत्’ इति सह—past passive participle used predicatively

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperfect, 3rd sg

• दिगन्तरम्: the space between the directions; the whole expanse of the quarters
• दिगन्तरम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Nominative/Accusative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दिशाम् अन्तरम्)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural (deictic)

• मञ्चम्: a platform, stage
• मञ्चम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular; गत्यर्थक-क्रियायाः कर्म

• आरूढाः: having mounted, having climbed onto
• आरूढाः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुह् (धातु) + आ उपसर्ग; आरूढ (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — past participle used as predicate

• शस्त्रैः: with weapons
• शस्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• व्याप्ताः: pervaded, covered
• व्याप्ताः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √आप् (धातु) + वि उपसर्ग; व्याप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ते)

• निरन्तराः: without break, continuous
• निरन्तराः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ते)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa, per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast directional expanse reverberates with a collective ‘hā hā’; armed beings stand upon raised platforms/daïs, packed tightly, weapons flashing as the atmosphere turns apocalyptic.

Characters & Entities

• Yajña assembly
• participants at Dakṣa’s sacrifice

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When a sacred rite is driven by ego and disrespect, the ‘yajña’ turns into chaos rather than merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it is part of Kedārakhaṇḍa’s broader sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes the immediate reaction and militarized confusion at the sacrificial venue.