Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

तच्छत्वा वचनं तस्याः प्रहस्येदमुवाच ह । श्रृण्वतीनां सखीनां वै महेशो बटुरूपवान्

Transliteration

tacchatvā vacanaṃ tasyāḥ prahasyedamuvāca ha | śrṛṇvatīnāṃ sakhīnāṃ vai maheśo baṭurūpavān

Translation

Ayant entendu ses paroles, Maheśa—demeurant sous la forme d’un jeune ascète—sourit et dit ceci, tandis que les compagnes écoutaient.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन (singular); सर्वनाम; "that" (refers to speech)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; "having heard"

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचन (singular); सर्वनाम

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• प्रहस्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; "having laughed"

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन (singular); सर्वनाम

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed/then
• ह: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; narrative/emphasis)

• श्रृण्वतीनाम्: of (the women) listening
• श्रृण्वतीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive absolute/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन (plural)

• सखीनाम्: of the friends
• सखीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन (plural)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• महेशः: Maheśa (Śiva)
• महेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case/nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• बटुरूपवान्: having the form of a boy
• बटुरूपवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बटु (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case/nominative), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (determinative): "बटोरूपवान्" = having the form of a boy

Speaker

Śiva (as a brahmacārin/baṭu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sakhīs (as on-scene listeners) and the recitation audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Maheśa, disguised as a young ascetic (batu), laughs lightly after hearing the attendant’s words; the companions (sakhīs) listen closely, creating a circle of attention around the disguised deity.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa
• Śiva
• Sakhīs
• Jayā (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s līlā may appear playful, yet it serves to reveal and strengthen genuine devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra-Himālaya sacred region contextualized by Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse transitions into Śiva’s spoken test.