Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

कथितं च महेंद्राय कालनेमेस्तपोबलम् । अजेयत्वं च संग्रामे वरदानबलेन तु

Transliteration

kathitaṃ ca maheṃdrāya kālanemestapobalam | ajeyatvaṃ ca saṃgrāme varadānabalena tu

Translation

Et l’on exposa au grand Indra la puissance d’ascèse de Kālanemi, ainsi que son invincibilité au combat, issue de la force d’une grâce accordée.

Word by Word

• कथितम्: was told
• कथितम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘was told’ (passive sense)

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

• महेंद्राय: to Mahendra (Indra)
• महेंद्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेंद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन

• कालनेमेः: of Kalanemi
• कालनेमेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालनेमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• तपोबलम्: power of austerity
• तपोबलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तपसः बलम्)

• अजेयत्वम्: invincibility
• अजेयत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजेय + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भाववाचक (abstract noun)

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

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• वरदानबलेन: by the power of the boon
• वरदानबलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरदान + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वरदानस्य बलम्)

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating Nārada’s report; deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahendra (Indra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada narrates to Indra: a visionary tableau shows Kālanemi performing fierce austerities, fire-like radiance rising, then receiving a boon that forms an invincible armor around him; Indra listens, grave and focused.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Mahendra)
• Kālanemi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas and boons can produce formidable power, but dharma teaches that such power must be aligned with the Supreme, not mere ego or violence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; the verse explains the antagonist’s strength within the Kedāra narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None prescribed; tapas is referenced as a source of power, not as an instruction here.