Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

एवं विचरमाणोऽसौ किरातो भूतहिंसकः । यदृच्छयागतस्तत्र यत्र लिंगं सुपूजितम्

Transliteration

evaṃ vicaramāṇo'sau kirāto bhūtahiṃsakaḥ | yadṛcchayāgatastatra yatra liṃgaṃ supūjitam

Translation

So wanderte jener Kirāta, der den Wesen Gewalt antat, umher und gelangte durch bloßen Zufall dorthin — an den Ort, wo der Liṅga aufs Vortrefflichste verehrt wurde.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-बोधक अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• विचरमाणः: wandering
• विचरमाणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+चर् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present middle participle/ātmanepada), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असौ: that (man)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/असौ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• किरातः: the hunter
• किरातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भूतहिंसकः: slayer of creatures
• भूतहिंसकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत+हिंसक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (किरातः); समासः—भूत+हिंसक (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• यदृच्छया: by chance
• यदृच्छया: Hetu/Instrument (Cause-like)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदृच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (instrumental used adverbially: ‘by chance’)

• आगतः: having come/arrived
• आगतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-बोधक अव्यय (adverb: there)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/देश-बोधक अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुपूजितम्: well-worshipped
• सुपूजितम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु+पूजित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (लिङ्गम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The hunter emerges from harsh wilderness into a sanctified clearing: a well-adorned liṅga shrine with lamps and offerings. The contrast—dark, ragged traveler versus luminous, orderly worship—signals impending transformation.

Characters & Entities

• Kirāta (hunter)
• Śiva-liṅga
• Kedāra (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even ‘chance’ arrival at a holy place can be the doorway of grace—tīrthas draw beings toward purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra liṅga-shrine that is described as supūjita (well worshipped).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new prescription; the verse emphasizes the shrine’s ongoing excellent worship as the sacred context.