Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

शिवस्याग्रे प्रकुर्वंति कारयन्त्यथ वा नराः । किं फलं च नृणां तेषां कथ्यतां विस्तरेण हि

Transliteration

śivasyāgre prakurvaṃti kārayantyatha vā narāḥ | kiṃ phalaṃ ca nṛṇāṃ teṣāṃ kathyatāṃ vistareṇa hi

Translation

Tout ce que les hommes accomplissent devant Śiva—ou font accomplir par d’autres—quel fruit en retirent-ils ? Dis-le, je t’en prie, en détail.

Word by Word

• śivasya: of Śiva
• śivasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• agre: in front; before (him)
• agre: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• prakurvanti: they do; they perform
• prakurvanti: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+√kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• kārayanti: they cause (it) to be done; they get (it) done
• kārayanti: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु) (णिच् causative: kāray-)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• atha: then; or else; further
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/प्रसङ्गबोधक (then/and further)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• narāḥ: men; people
• narāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• kim: what?
• kim: Visheshana (Interrogative qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• phalam: fruit; result
• phalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• nṛṇām: of men; of people
• nṛṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• teṣām: of those (persons)
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• kathyatām: let it be told
• kathyatām: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (कथ् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• vistareṇa: in detail; with elaboration
• vistareṇa: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vistara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial instrumental)

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक (particle: indeed/for)

Speaker

Ṛṣayaḥ (the sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The sage-speaker

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Before the Kedāra liṅga, donors and priests are shown: some offer directly, others fund offerings and constructions; sages request a detailed account of the fruits for both doers and sponsors.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Both personal worship and sponsoring sacred acts for Śiva are spiritually consequential; intention and offering generate merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kedārakhaṇḍa context aligns these acts with Kedāra’s Śiva-centered pilgrimage setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing offerings/rites before Śiva and also arranging (sponsoring) such rites to be done.