Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

तेषां प्रहारैः सुदृढैर्बहुभिर्वज्रदुःसहैः । शिवांदोलनमाहात्म्याज्जातोऽहं नृपमंदिरे

Transliteration

teṣāṃ prahāraiḥ sudṛḍhairbahubhirvajraduḥsahaiḥ | śivāṃdolanamāhātmyājjāto'haṃ nṛpamaṃdire

Translation

Through their many blows—hard and unbearable like thunderbolts—yet by the greatness of Śiva’s swing-rite (āndolana), I was reborn in a royal palace.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रहारैः: by blows
• प्रहारैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सुदृढैः: very strong
• सुदृढैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दृढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying प्रहारैः)

• बहुभिः: many
• बहुभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying प्रहारैः)

• वज्र-दुःसहैः: hard to endure like a thunderbolt
• वज्र-दुःसहैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःसह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-प्रायः (‘वज्रवत् दुःसह’) विशेषणम् (प्रहारैः)

• शिव-आंदोलन-माहात्म्यात्: due to the greatness of Śiva’s swing (rite)
• शिव-आंदोलन-माहात्म्यात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आंदोलन (प्रातिपदिक) + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (‘शिवस्य आंदोलनस्य माहात्म्यम्’)

• जातः: born
• जातः: Karta (Subject predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘उत्पन्नः’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृपमन्दिरे: in the king’s palace
• नृपमन्दिरे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नृपस्य मन्दिरम्)

Speaker

Gṛdhra (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śivāndolana (Śiva-dolā)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary transition: the thunderbolt-like blows contrast with a luminous aura around Śiva’s swing; the soul departs and is shown entering a royal palace womb/lineage, indicating rebirth by the rite’s greatness.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śivāndolana (rite)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Contact with Śiva’s worship—especially a celebrated rite—can generate powerful puṇya that transforms one’s rebirth, even when the immediate experience is painful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Śiva-sthāna where the Śivāndolana (swinging of the Liṅga) is performed—presented as a powerful mahātmya-setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śivāndolana: the ceremonial swinging of Śiva (Liṅga) as part of festival worship, praised for its extraordinary merit.