Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

तच्छत्वा वचनं तस्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः । वरयामास च तदा वरं लोकभयावहम्

Transliteration

tacchatvā vacanaṃ tasya brahmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ | varayāmāsa ca tadā varaṃ lokabhayāvaham

Translation

Ayant entendu ces paroles de Brahmā, l’Ordonnateur suprême, il choisit alors un don — un don qui deviendrait source d’effroi pour les mondes.

Word by Word

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

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); having heard

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive, Singular

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• परमेष्ठिनः: of the Supreme Lord (Parameṣṭhin)
• परमेष्ठिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Genitive, Singular (ब्रह्मणः विशेषण/उपाधि)

• वरयामास: chose/asked for
• वरयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular; परस्मैपद; (वृ + यामास periphrastic perfect)

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

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लोकभयावहम्: bringing fear to the worlds
• लोकभयावहम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक) + आवह (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक from आ-√वह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (लोकस्य भयम् आवहति इति)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced); narrative about Tāraka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience within Kedārakhaṇḍa frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tāraka, having heard Brahmā, selects a boon with a hard smile; the worlds seem to darken in anticipation; Brahmā remains composed, aware of cosmic law.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desires rooted in ego and domination create fear and disorder; dharma-oriented wishes uplift, while self-serving boons harm the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicit in this verse; it functions as plot within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s broader sacred geography of Kedāra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.