Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

कारयामि धरापृष्ठे चैत्रे दमनकोत्सवम् । यता यथा दोलयति शिवं दोलास्थितं नरः

Transliteration

kārayāmi dharāpṛṣṭhe caitre damanakotsavam | yatā yathā dolayati śivaṃ dolāsthitaṃ naraḥ

Translation

Sur la surface de la terre, au mois de Caitra, je fais célébrer la fête de Damanaka. De quelque manière qu’un homme balance Śiva assis sur la balançoire,

Word by Word

• कारयामि: I cause to be done/celebrate
• कारयामि: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) (णिच्-प्रत्यय causative)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्त (causative) ‘कारयति’

• धरापृष्ठे: on the surface of the earth
• धरापृष्ठे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘धरायाः पृष्ठम्’)

• चैत्रे: in (the month of) Caitra
• चैत्रे: Adhikaraṇa (Temporal locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; मासे (in the month)

• दमनक-उत्सवम्: the Damanaka festival
• दमनक-उत्सवम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दमनक (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘दमनकस्य उत्सवः’)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/in the manner that)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति-बलार्थम् (correlative emphasis)

• दोलयति: swings/causes to swing
• दोलयति: Kriyā (Verb of relative clause)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दोल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दोलास्थितम्: seated/placed on the swing
• दोलास्थितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दोलā (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (स्था धातु + क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘दोलायां स्थितम्’—विशेषणम् (शिवम्)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Kuśadhvaja

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Damanakotsava / Śivāndolana (Dolotsava)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Caitra spring festival: the Śiva swing is adorned with damanaka leaves and flowers; devotees take turns swinging Śiva seated on the dola, with music, lamps, and fragrant offerings; the king oversees the celebration.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Caitra
• Damanakotsava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Joyful festival-service to Śiva (utsava-sevā) is a powerful expression of devotion and a means of accruing merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is ritual-focused rather than site-specific, but the surrounding narrative context is tied to the sacred world of Śaiva worship associated with Kāśī’s tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of Damanakotsava in the month of Caitra, including swinging Śiva on a swing (dolāsthita-Śiva).