Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

एवंविधो बलिर्जातः प्रसादाच्छंकरस्य च । पुरा हि कितवत्वेन यद्दत्तं परमात्मने

Transliteration

evaṃvidho balirjātaḥ prasādācchaṃkarasya ca | purā hi kitavatvena yaddattaṃ paramātmane

Translation

Ainsi Bali devint-il tel, par la grâce de Śaṅkara. Car jadis, même avec légèreté ou comme en jeu, ce qu’il donna au Soi suprême porta son fruit.

Word by Word

• एवंविधः: such (of this kind)
• एवंविधः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवं-विध (प्रातिपदिक; एवम् + विध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (“of such a kind”)

• बलिः: Bali
• बलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• जातः: was born/became
• जातः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रसादात्: from the grace
• प्रसादात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• शंकरस्य: of Shankara (Shiva)
• शंकरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

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

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly/once)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed/for)

• कितवत्वेन: by (his) deceitfulness/gambling nature
• कितवत्वेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कितवत्व (प्रातिपदिक; कितव + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; भाववाचक-त्वान्त (state of being a gambler/cheater)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (that which)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (here: object ‘what was given’)

• परमात्मने: to the Supreme Lord
• परमात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; परम + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (“the Supreme Self”)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A flashback-like scene: Bali’s earlier, almost playful offering to the Supreme; overlayed with a later scene of Bali transformed—radiant, revered—signifying karmic fruition through Śaṅkara’s prasāda.

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Śaṅkara
• Paramātman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s grace can elevate even an imperfect person; even a casual offering to the Supreme is never wasted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedārakhaṇḍa setting celebrates Śaṅkara’s power and mercy, a key theme in Kedāra-kṣetra māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse encourages offering (dāna/arpana) to the Supreme; it does not specify a formal ritual sequence.