Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

एवं प्रार्थयतस्तस्य श्रुत्वा च परिदेवनम् । उवाच शंकरो वाक्यं बोधयन्निव तं नृपम्

Transliteration

evaṃ prārthayatastasya śrutvā ca paridevanam | uvāca śaṃkaro vākyaṃ bodhayanniva taṃ nṛpam

Translation

Als Śaṅkara sein Flehen und Klagen so vernahm, sprach er Worte, als wolle er den König belehren und erwecken.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• प्रार्थयतः: of (him) beseeching
• प्रार्थयतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अर्थ् (धातु) + शतृ (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; ‘of (him) who was beseeching’

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• परिदेवनम्: lamentation
• परिदेवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि + देव (धातु) + अन (प्रातिपदिक-निर्माण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

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

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• बोधयन्: instructing
• बोधयन्: Karta (Agent-participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + शतृ
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि; ‘instructing’

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानार्थक अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• नृपम्: the king
• नृपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तं नृपम् = apposition

Speaker

Narrator (likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: audience of the māhātmya (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva turns from silent power to compassionate instruction; the king’s posture shifts from lament to attentive receptivity as Śaṅkara speaks.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Nṛpa (the king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva not only protects but also teaches—turning fear into understanding through divine instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra, portrayed as a kṣetra where the Lord personally guides devotees toward insight.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the focus is on upadeśa (instruction) following prayer.