Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

दक्षिणं मे करं देवो ग्रहीता भव एव च । शीर्यते चोग्रतपसा सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम्

Transliteration

dakṣiṇaṃ me karaṃ devo grahītā bhava eva ca | śīryate cogratapasā satyametanmayoditam

Translation

«Ma dakṣiṇā, c’est cette main droite : que le Seigneur la prenne ; et toi aussi, ô brāhmane, reçois-la. Elle s’use sous l’austérité farouche ; telle est la vérité que je prononce.»

Word by Word

• dakṣiṇam: right
• dakṣiṇam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (करम् इति विशेष्य)

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्

• karam: hand
• karam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचनम्

• devaḥ: the god (Lord)
• devaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचनम्

• grahītā: will accept/take
• grahītā: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-समर्थ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—तृच् (agent noun); पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; भविष्यत्सूचक/कर्तृवाचकः (one who will take/accept)

• bhava: be (become)
• bhava: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थक/imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

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

• śīryate: is worn away/decays
• śīryate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śṝ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकालः), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम् (कर्मणि/भावे)

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

• ugra-tapasā: by severe austerity
• ugra-tapasā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक) + tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः; नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (तपस्), तृतीया (करण), एकवचनम्

• satyam: truth
• satyam: Kriya-Viseshana (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विधेय (predicate)

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (अत्र प्रथमा)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया (करण), एकवचनम्

• uditam: said/uttered
• uditam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त; नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (एतत् इति विशेष्य)

Speaker

Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pārvatī declares her right hand itself as dakṣiṇā—scarred/worn by fierce tapas—offered to Devadeva; the moment is charged with wonder and solemn truth.

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī
• Śiva (Deva/Bhava)
• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True offering can be radical self-surrender; austerity (tapas) and truth (satya) are upheld as sacred commitments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; the emphasis is on dharmic giving and Śaiva dedication.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dakṣiṇā is highlighted, framed as an extreme vow-like offering connected with tapas.