Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

एवं विमृश्य भो देंवाः कार्या कार्यविचारणा । मदनेनैव दग्धेन सुरकार्यं महत्कृतम्

Transliteration

evaṃ vimṛśya bho deṃvāḥ kāryā kāryavicāraṇā | madanenaiva dagdhena surakāryaṃ mahatkṛtam

Translation

«Ainsi donc, ô Devas, réfléchissez avec soin et délibérez sur ce qui doit être fait. Par Madana — désormais consumé — un grand service a déjà été rendu aux dieux.»

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakāra (Manner adjunct/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'thus')

• विमृश्य: having deliberated
• विमृश्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मृश् (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having reflected'

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Sambodhana (Addressed/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (सम्बोधनार्थे)

• कार्या: necessary
• कार्या: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (कार्यविचारणा इत्यस्य)

• कार्यविचारणा: deliberation about the task
• कार्यविचारणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य + विचारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कार्यस्य विचारणा)

• मदनेन: by Madana
• मदनेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed; alone
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• दग्धेन: burnt
• दग्धेन: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; (मदनेन इत्यस्य विशेषण)

• सुरकार्यं: the gods' task
• सुरकार्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणां कार्यम्)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (कृतम् इत्यस्य/सुरकार्यं इत्यस्य)

• कृतम्: was accomplished
• कृतम्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्ये कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थे विधेय (predicate)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating; the utterance is attributed to Śiva (Vṛṣadhvaja) addressing the Devas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas in assembly, some with hands on chins in thoughtful posture; a sage presides; in the background, a symbolic ash-remnant of Madana indicates the accomplished ‘great service’ for the gods.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Madana (Kāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Clear discernment and calm deliberation are praised; even disruptive desire (Kāma) is shown as subdued under Śiva’s order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage occurs in Kedārakhaṇḍa, linked to Kedāra’s sacred landscape, though this verse itself focuses on counsel to the Devas rather than a site-description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed here; the emphasis is on thoughtful decision-making aligned with dharma.