Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

असुरा बलिमुख्याश्च पंक्तिभूता यताक्रमम् । सर्वमावश्यकं कृत्वा तदा पानरता भवन्

Transliteration

asurā balimukhyāśca paṃktibhūtā yatākramam | sarvamāvaśyakaṃ kṛtvā tadā pānaratā bhavan

Translation

Les Asuras, avec Bali à leur tête, s’assirent en rangs selon l’ordre prescrit; après avoir accompli toutes les observances requises, ils se tournèrent vers la boisson.

Word by Word

• असुराः: Asuras
• असुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• बलिमुख्याः: with Bali as chief
• बलिमुख्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (बलिः मुख्यः येषाम्/बलि-प्रधानाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (असुराः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पंक्तिभूताः: arranged in rows
• पंक्तिभूताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पंक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक; √भू क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पंक्तिः भूता = ‘formed into a row’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• यथाक्रमम्: in due order
• यथाक्रमम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘everything’

• आवश्यकम्: necessary
• आवश्यकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आवश्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (सर्वम्)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Absolutive/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (then)

• पानरताः: engaged in drinking
• पानरताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पाने रताः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भवन्: they became
• भवन्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (past), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; epic form ‘भवन्’ for ‘अभवन्’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (Mahēśvara-khaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Daitya leaders seated in neat rows, having finished ritual preliminaries; vessels and cups appear as they turn toward drinking, with a formal, almost court-like order.

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Asura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual order without self-control can devolve into indulgence; dharma requires restraint alongside form.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-khaṇḍa provides the sacred backdrop, but the verse narrates the asuras’ conduct rather than praising a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It notes completing “necessary formalities” (āvaśyaka-kriyā) before the gathering proceeds.