Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 116

Devanagari script

तां दृष्ट्वा सु विशालाक्षीं रतिं मदनमोहिनीम् । उवाच प्रहसन्वाक्यं शंबरो देवसंकटः

Transliteration

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā su viśālākṣīṃ ratiṃ madanamohinīm | uvāca prahasanvākyaṃ śaṃbaro devasaṃkaṭaḥ

Translation

Voyant Rati, aux grands yeux, si enchanteresse qu’elle pouvait troubler même Madana, Śaṃbara, terreur des dieux, prononça des paroles avec un sourire moqueur.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) = gerund; ‘having seen’

• सु: very
• सु: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Viśeṣaṇa-upapada
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्)
• Form: अव्यय (उपपद/प्रबलक) = intensifier ‘very’

• विशालाक्षीम्: large-eyed
• विशालाक्षीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशाल-अक्षी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (विशालाः अक्षी यस्याः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = Feminine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषण (ताम्/रतिम्)

• रतिम्: Rati
• रतिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मदनमोहिनीम्: enchantress of Madana
• मदनमोहिनीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदन-मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (मदनस्य मोहिनी); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = Feminine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषण (रतिम्)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन = Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• प्रहसन्: laughing
• प्रहसन्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√हस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त) = present active participle; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = Masculine, Nominative, Singular; क्रियाविशेषणभावे ‘while laughing’

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शंबरः: Śambara
• शंबरः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंबर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देवसंकटः: a menace to the gods
• देवसंकटः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव-संकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (देवानां संकटः/संकटकरः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = Masculine, Nominative, Singular; विशेषण (शंबरः)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa, per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rati, wide-eyed and luminous, stands poised; before her Śaṃbara—dark, formidable, adorned with asuric regalia—smiles mockingly as he begins to speak, the atmosphere tense with desire and menace.

Characters & Entities

• Rati
• Madana (Kāma)
• Śaṃbara
• Devas (gods)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Arrogance and mockery often accompany adharma; the Purāṇas portray such traits as precursors to downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra is the broader textual setting; this verse is character-description within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.