Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अत्रिरुवाच । तदा ते ह्यसुराः सर्वे किमकुर्वस्तदुच्यताम्

Transliteration

atriruvāca | tadā te hyasurāḥ sarve kimakurvastaducyatām

Translation

Atri dit : «Alors, que firent tous ces Asura ? Je t’en prie, dis-le.»

Word by Word

• अत्रिः: Atri (sage)
• अत्रिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• असुराः: asuras/demons
• असुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifier)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• अकुर्वन्: did
• अकुर्वन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उच्यताम्: let it be told/said
• उच्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Atri

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Atri

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Atri, the sage, seated in a hermitage-like setting, turns to Lomāśa with an earnest, questioning gesture, initiating the next turn of the Deva–Asura narrative.

Characters & Entities

• Atri
• Asuras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural dialogue advances through humble inquiry—asking rightly is itself part of receiving dharmic instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra is the overarching sacred frame; this verse is a narrative prompt.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.