Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

माध्यंदिनं कर्तुमना ययौ शंकरमंदिरात् । तानृषीनवलोक्याथ रामास्ता भयकातराः

Transliteration

mādhyaṃdinaṃ kartumanā yayau śaṃkaramaṃdirāt | tānṛṣīnavalokyātha rāmāstā bhayakātarāḥ

Translation

Désireux d’accomplir le rite de midi, il sortit du temple de Śaṅkara. Mais, en voyant ces ṛṣi, les femmes furent saisies d’effroi et troublées.

Word by Word

• माध्यन्दिनम्: midday rite (noon worship)
• माध्यन्दिनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माध्यन्दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to do, to perform
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive)

• अना: for the purpose of
• अना: Prayojana (Purpose marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अना (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक/साधनवाचक-अव्यय; here in compound-like usage with कर्तुम् (kartumanā = कर्तुम् + अना)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शंकर-मन्दिरात्: from Śaṅkara's temple
• शंकर-मन्दिरात्: Apādāna (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शंकरस्य मन्दिरात्)

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• ऋषीन्: sages
• ऋषीन्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अवलोक्य: having seen
• अवलोक्य: Pūrvakāla (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + √लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/अनन्तरवाचक-अव्यय (conjunctive particle)

• रामाः: women
• रामाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रामा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ताः: those (women)
• ताः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (referring to rāmāḥ)

• भय-कातराः: distressed with fear
• भय-कातराः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + कातर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तृतीया/हेतु-तत्पुरुष (भयेन कातराः)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hālāsya-nātha tīrtha / Śaṅkara-mandira precinct

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śiva temple doorway opens; a figure steps out intending madhyāhna rite; nearby, women at the water’s edge suddenly cover themselves and recoil as they notice approaching sages.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Temple of Śaṅkara
• Ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regular rites like the midday observance mark a dharmic life, and the presence of sages in a holy place evokes conscience and accountability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śaṅkara’s temple within the Hālāsya sacred complex (contextually tied to Hālāsya-nātha and his tīrtha).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The mādhyandina (midday rite) is referenced as a traditional daily observance.