Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

तदा हरिहरौ देवावैकपद्येन तिष्ठतः । ऊचुतुः स्म तदान्योन्यं क्षेमं कुशलमेव च

Transliteration

tadā hariharau devāvaikapadyena tiṣṭhataḥ | ūcutuḥ sma tadānyonyaṃ kṣemaṃ kuśalameva ca

Translation

Alors les deux dieux, Hari et Hara, se tinrent ensemble en parfaite harmonie et s’enquirent l’un de l’autre du bien-être, de la sûreté et de la prospérité.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• हरिहरौ: Hari and Hara (Vishnu and Shiva)
• हरिहरौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (Hari and Hara)

• देवौ: the two gods
• देवौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; हरिहरौ इत्यस्य विशेषणवत्

• एकपद्येन: on one foot
• एकपद्येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + padya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (एकं पद्यं/पदं येन) = on one foot

• तिष्ठतः: they stand
• तिष्ठतः: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, द्विवचनम्

• ऊचुतुः: they said
• ऊचुतुः: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, द्विवचनम्

• स्म: indeed / (narrative particle)
• स्म: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sma (अव्यय)
• Form: स्मरण/अनुवादक-अव्ययम्; भूतार्थे लिट्/लङ् इत्यादौ सह (particle indicating past narration)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• अन्योन्यम्: to each other / mutually
• अन्योन्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anyonya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; परस्परवाचक (reciprocal)

• क्षेमम्: welfare, safety
• क्षेमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣema (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• कुशलम्: well-being, good health
• कुशलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition, Mahēśvarakhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame-audience (not explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hari and Hara stand side-by-side ‘with one footing’—a visual metaphor of perfect accord—then exchange gentle questions of welfare and safety.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Hara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True greatness expresses itself as mutual respect and concern for the welfare of others.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedārakhaṇḍa context points to the sanctified Himalayan Kedāra region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on dharmic conduct and the sacred ideal of unity.