Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

गांधर्वस्या वसाने तु लब्धसंज्ञो हरिः सुरान् । पप्रच्छ त्वरितेनवै क्व गतो हि महातपाः

Transliteration

gāṃdharvasyā vasāne tu labdhasaṃjño hariḥ surān | papraccha tvaritenavai kva gato hi mahātapāḥ

Translation

Als die Gandharva-Musik endete, kam Hari (Indra) wieder zu sich und fragte die Götter schnell: „Wo ist dieser große Asket denn hingegangen?“

Word by Word

• गान्धर्वस्य: of the gandharva (state/episode)
• गान्धर्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive, Singular

• अवसाने: at the end
• अवसाने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवसान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle)

• लब्धसंज्ञः: having regained consciousness
• लब्धसंज्ञः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्ध + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; √लभ् + क्त = लब्ध; ‘संज्ञा’ (consciousness) इति कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘संज्ञां लब्धः’; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हरिः: Hari (Indra/Vishnu epithet; here Indra)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुरान्: the gods
• सुरान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• त्वरितेन: quickly, in haste
• त्वरितेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वरित (कृदन्त; √त्वर् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण/रीतिवाचक; Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• क्व: where?
• क्व: Kriya-viseshana (Interrogative adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• गतः: gone
• गतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (महातपाः)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक (particle)

• महातपाः: the great ascetic (Bṛhaspati)
• महातपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महातपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; महा + तपस् (कर्मधारयः: ‘महान् तपः यस्य/महत्तपः’); Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Lomāśa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedārakṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gandharvas finish a musical performance; Indra’s expression shifts from intoxicated delight to alarm; he rises abruptly, questioning the assembled gods as instruments still vibrate in the air.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Hari)
• Devas
• Bṛhaspati (mahātapāḥ)
• Gandharvas (music implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Distraction and pride can dull awareness; realization often comes only after loss, prompting urgent seeking of guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is identified; the verse continues the celestial narrative thread within Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.