Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

विज्ञप्तो वीरभद्रेण रुद्रो रौद्रपराक्रमः । किं कार्यं भवतः कार्यं शीघ्रमेव वद प्रभो

Transliteration

vijñapto vīrabhadreṇa rudro raudraparākramaḥ | kiṃ kāryaṃ bhavataḥ kāryaṃ śīghrameva vada prabho

Translation

Da sprach Vīrabhadra zu Rudra, von furchtbarer Kraft: „Was soll ich für Dich vollbringen? Sage es mir sogleich, o Herr.“

Word by Word

• विज्ञप्तः: having been informed; requested
• विज्ञप्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विज्ञप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < वि+ज्ञप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘having been informed/requested’

• वीरभद्रेण: by Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रेण: Karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देशः (agent in passive)

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रौद्रपराक्रमः: of fierce valor
• रौद्रपराक्रमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्रपराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक) = रौद्र + पराक्रम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—रौद्रः पराक्रमः यस्य/रौद्रः पराक्रमः (कर्मधारय; विशेषण)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कार्यम्: task; thing to be done
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) < कृ (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवतः: of you; your
• भवतः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आदरार्थक-प्रयोगः (honorific ‘your’)

• कार्यम्: task; purpose
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) < कृ (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्रम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• वद: tell; speak
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating; direct speech by Vīrabhadra to Rudra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedārakṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sage-audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vīrabhadra stands with folded hands or poised weapon, head slightly bowed, eyes fixed on Rudra; the posture blends reverence with readiness, as if awaiting a battlefield order.

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra
• Rudra (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ideal devotion is shown as readiness to serve—discipline and swift obedience to dharmic command.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative is housed in Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Himalayan sacred context; this verse focuses on command and service rather than site praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a dialogue moment.