Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

राजा त्रिकूटाधिपतिर्महेशेन कृतो महान् । सर्वेषां राक्षसानां च परमासनमास्तितः

Transliteration

rājā trikūṭādhipatirmaheśena kṛto mahān | sarveṣāṃ rākṣasānāṃ ca paramāsanamāstitaḥ

Translation

Jener König — Herr von Trikūṭa — wurde von Maheśa überaus groß gemacht und bestieg den höchsten Thron unter allen Rākṣasas.

Word by Word

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रिकूटाधिपतिः: lord of Trikūṭa
• त्रिकूटाधिपतिः: Karta (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिकूट (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (त्रिकूटस्य अधिपतिः); Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महेशेन: by Maheśa
• महेशेन: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/कर्ता-करण), एकवचन; Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• कृतः: made, appointed
• कृतः: Kriya (Result-state/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; past passive participle; predicate with 'राजा'

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agrees with 'राजा'; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive, Plural

• राक्षसानाम्: of the rākṣasas
• राक्षसानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive, Plural

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

• परमासनम्: the highest seat/throne
• परमासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (परमम् आसनम्); Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आस्तितः: occupied, sat upon
• आस्तितः: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; past participle meaning 'having occupied/sat upon'; agrees with implied subject (राजा/रावणः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (source of anugraha) / Trikūṭa (resultant kingship locus)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/Brāhmaṇas (assembly implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāvaṇa enthroned as supreme among Rākṣasas, his greatness explicitly traced to Maheśa’s act—divine sanction behind a formidable, ominous kingship.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Rāvaṇa
• Trikūṭa
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power and status can arise from Śiva’s grace, but such greatness must be held within dharma to become truly auspicious.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s sacred-geography frame (Kedāra/Himalayan tīrthas), though this line itself emphasizes Rāvaṇa’s elevation rather than a site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly in this verse.