Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

प्राहिणोदंबिकायाश्च स्थिरपत्रार्थमीश्वरः । सारुंधतीकास्ते तत्र ह्लादयंतो हिमाचलम्

Transliteration

prāhiṇodaṃbikāyāśca sthirapatrārthamīśvaraḥ | sāruṃdhatīkāste tatra hlādayaṃto himācalam

Translation

For the sake of obtaining the steadfast leaves—tokens of auspiciousness—the Lord sent them to Ambikā. Those venerable ones, virtuous like Arundhatī, then delighted Himācala there.

Word by Word

• prāhiṇot: sent forth
• prāhiṇot: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hi (धातु; हि गतौ/प्रेषणे) उपसर्गः प्र
• Form: लिट्/परस्मैपद-रूपसदृशं (परिपूर्ण-भूतार्थे), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थतः ‘प्रेषयामास’

• ambikāyāḥ: of Ambikā (Pārvatī)
• ambikāyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक निपात (conjunction)

• sthira-patra-artham: for obtaining the sthira-patra (firm leaves)
• sthira-patra-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthira (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुष (स्थिरपत्रार्थम् = for the firm leaves/leaf-offering); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (अर्थ-शब्दः)

• īśvaraḥ: the Lord
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• sāruṃdhatīkāḥ: (women) together with Arundhatīs
• sāruṃdhatīkāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (प्रातिपदिक) + aruṃdhatikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः सहार्थक-तत्पुरुष (सारुंधतीकाः = along with Arundhatīs / with Arundhatikās); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• tatra: there
• tatra: Desha (Place/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• hlādayantaḥ: gladdening, delighting
• hlādayantaḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hlādayant (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √hlād ह्लादने, णिच् शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदी-कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘causing to rejoice’

• himācalam: Himālaya (snow-mountain)
• himācalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: himācala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः कर्मधारय (हिमः अचलः = snowy mountain); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Ambikā (Pārvatī)
• Arundhatī
• Himālaya (Himācala)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious acts performed for divine purposes, done with steadiness and purity (Arundhatī-like virtue), delight even the sacred Himalaya—symbolizing nature’s participation in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Himālaya/Himācala is praised as the sacred mountain realm associated with Ambikā (Pārvatī) and Śiva’s divine wedding narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit vrata or dāna is prescribed; the verse highlights auspicious preparations and tokens (sthirapatra) connected to the divine wedding.