Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ते प्रोचुर्देवकार्यार्थं विज्ञप्तुं शंभुमागता । विज्ञप्तो नंदिना तेन शैलादेन महात्मना । ध्यानस्थितो महादेवः सुरकार्यार्थसिद्धये

Transliteration

te procurdevakāryārthaṃ vijñaptuṃ śaṃbhumāgatā | vijñapto naṃdinā tena śailādena mahātmanā | dhyānasthito mahādevaḥ surakāryārthasiddhaye

Translation

Ils répondirent : «Nous sommes venus présenter une requête à Śambhu pour l’œuvre des dieux.» Ainsi informé par Nandī—le fils magnanime de Śilāda—Mahādeva, demeurant en méditation, (se tourna) vers l’accomplissement du dessein des dieux.

Word by Word

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

• प्रोचुः: said, spoke
• प्रोचुः: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• देवकार्यार्थम्: for the purpose of the gods' task
• देवकार्यार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: देवानां कार्यस्य अर्थः

• विज्ञप्तुम्: to inform, to request
• विज्ञप्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञप् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable infinitive)

• शंभुम्: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• आगताः: having come
• आगताः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• विज्ञप्तः: was informed, was requested
• विज्ञप्तः: Kriya (Predicate: was informed)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञप् (धातु) → विज्ञप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• नंदिना: by Nandin
• नंदिना: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेन: by that (one), by him
• तेन: Visheshana (Demonstrative qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• शैलादेन: by Śailāda (Nandin's father)
• शैलादेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैलाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (one)
• महात्मना: Visheshana (Qualifier of śailādena)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• ध्यानस्थितः: situated in meditation
• ध्यानस्थितः: Visheshana (Qualifier of mahādevaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/locative sense): ध्याने स्थितः; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुरकार्यार्थसिद्धये: for the accomplishment of the gods' purpose
• सुरकार्यार्थसिद्धये: Sampradana (Dative of purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine: सिद्धि), चतुर्थी विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः: सुराणां कार्यस्य अर्थस्य सिद्धये

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa); devas quoted

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nandī (as recipient of devas’ reply) / Śiva (as ultimate addressee)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas declare their mission; Nandī conveys it to Śiva. Śiva is shown seated in deep meditation, yet subtly turning attention toward the devas’ cause.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Nandī
• Śilāda
• Mahādeva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even urgent worldly duties are best fulfilled by approaching the meditative Lord through proper channels, humility, and truthful petition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra, where the devas seek Śiva’s aid for cosmic order.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse foregrounds dhyāna (meditative state) as the backdrop of divine responsiveness.