Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 134

Devanagari script

शिर उत्कृत्त्य चेंद्राय प्रदत्तं विप्ररूपिणे । किरीटः पतितस्तत्र मणयो हि महाप्रभाः

Transliteration

śira utkṛttya ceṃdrāya pradattaṃ viprarūpiṇe | kirīṭaḥ patitastatra maṇayo hi mahāprabhāḥ

Translation

Lorsque la tête fut tranchée et offerte à Indra, déguisé en brāhmaṇa, la couronne tomba là, et ses joyaux brillèrent d’un éclat magnifique.

Word by Word

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• उत्कृत्त्य: having cut off
• उत्कृत्त्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत् + कृद्/कृत् (धातु: कृन्त्/कृद् ‘to cut’) → उत्कृत्त्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); उपसर्ग: उत्-

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• इन्द्राय: to Indra
• इन्द्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• प्रदत्तम्: given
• प्रदत्तम्: Kriya-visheshana (Predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु) → प्रदत्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (given); उपसर्ग: प्र-

• विप्र-रूपिणे: to (one) in the form of a brahmin
• विप्र-रूपिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विप्रस्य रूपी)

• किरीटः: crown
• किरीटः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरीट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पतितः: fell/has fallen
• पतितः: Kriya-visheshana (Predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) → पतित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (fallen)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb: there)

• मणयः: gems
• मणयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• महा-प्रभाः: of great radiance
• महा-प्रभाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (प्रभा), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (महती प्रभा यस्याः)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa-disguised Indra receives a severed head; as it is offered, a jeweled crown slips and falls, scattering radiant gems onto the ground.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (viprarūpin)
• Crown (kirīṭa)
• Jewels (maṇi)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True giving is portrayed as so powerful that it transforms the scene itself—radiance symbolizes the spiritual brilliance of sacrifice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra region is the narrative frame; the episode supports the māhātmya by embedding dharma-teaching in sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; it continues the exemplum of dāna given to a worthy recipient (even when disguised).