Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

उवाच वाक्यं चात्रस्तो मातरं रिषपूरिताम् । दिवास्वापं कृथा मातः पादाक्रांतशिरोरुहा

Transliteration

uvāca vākyaṃ cātrasto mātaraṃ riṣapūritām | divāsvāpaṃ kṛthā mātaḥ pādākrāṃtaśiroruhā

Translation

Then, frightened, he spoke words to his mother, filled with distress: “Mother—do not sleep in the daytime, you whose hair is pressed down by a foot.”

Word by Word

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vākyam: a statement
• vākyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (वाक्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• atrastaḥ: unafraid
• atrastaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-trasta (अत्रस्त प्रातिपदिक; na + trasta)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (not frightened)

• mātaram: mother
• mātaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (मातृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• riṣa-pūritām: filled with anger/affliction
• riṣa-pūritām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: riṣa (रिष प्रातिपदिक) + pūrita (पूरित; √pṝ/पूर् धातु + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; क्त-कृदन्त-विशेषण, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘रिषेण/रिषया पूरिता’ (filled with anger/affliction)

• divā-svāpaṃ: daytime sleep
• divā-svāpaṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divā (दिवा अव्यय) + svāpa (स्वाप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अव्ययपूर्वपद); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• kṛthāḥ: do
• kṛthāḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• mātaḥ: O mother
• mātaḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (मातृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• pāda-ākrānta-śiroruhā: she whose hair is trampled by feet
• pāda-ākrānta-śiroruhā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāda (पाद) + ākrānta (आक्रान्त; √kram/क्रम् + क्त, उपसर्ग आ) + śiroruhā (शिरोरुहा; śiras + ruhā)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘यस्याḥ शिरोरुहाḥ पादेन आक्रान्ताः’ (whose hair is trodden by feet)

Speaker

One of the newly emerged beings (contextually a Marut) addressing Diti (mother)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A frightened figure speaks urgently to Diti, warning her against daytime sleep; Diti appears distressed, hair disheveled/pressed, suggesting vulnerability and the aftermath of assault.

Characters & Entities

• Diti (mother)
• Indra (context)
• Newly emerged beings (contextual Maruts)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity requires vigilance; small lapses in discipline can open the door to major reversals.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No new tīrtha is mentioned; the episode remains within the Puṣkara-centered observance narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoiding divāsvapna (sleeping in daytime) is presented as an important restraint within vow-based discipline.