Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

तस्मान्मया विचार्यैव भवद्भिरृषिसत्तमाः । प्रदातव्या महेशाय एतन्मे व्रतमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

tasmānmayā vicāryaiva bhavadbhirṛṣisattamāḥ | pradātavyā maheśāya etanme vratamuttamam

Translation

«Ainsi, après mûre réflexion, ô meilleurs des sages, j’ai pris cette résolution : elle doit être donnée à Maheśa (le Seigneur Śiva). Tel est mon vœu suprême.»

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu/Discourse (कारण/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इति अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (ablatival adverb): 'therefore/from that reason'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (Agent in absolutive context/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vicārya: having considered
• vicārya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Kridanta
• Root: vi + car (चर् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having considered'

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• bhavadbhiḥ: by you (hon.)
• bhavadbhiḥ: Sahakāraka (Associate/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (honorific 'you')

• ṛṣi-sattamāḥ: O best of sages
• ṛṣi-sattamāḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: 'sattamāḥ ṛṣayaḥ' = best sages

• pradātavyā: must be given
• pradātavyā: Vidheyā (Predicate obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Kridanta
• Root: pra + dā (दा धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'to be given' (agreeing with sutā understood)

• maheśāya: to Maheśa (Śiva)
• maheśāya: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic)

• vratam: vow
• vratam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• uttamam: excellent/supreme
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Himālaya (Girirāja/Parvateśvara), within Sūta’s narration to the sages (deduced from context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārṣis addressed as ‘ṛṣisattamāḥ’

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Himālaya, after reflection, declares before the assembled sages: ‘She must be given to Maheśa; this is my supreme vow.’ The moment is decisive and devotional.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa
• Śiva
• Ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A vow aligned with dharma is fulfilled by dedicating one’s dearest offering to Śiva with clear discernment and resolve.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits in the Kedārakhaṇḍa stream of Kedāra-kṣetra Māhātmya, framing Śiva’s supremacy in the sacred geography of Kedāra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A “vrata” is declared—here expressed as the resolve to offer (pradāna) Girijā to Maheśa, a dharmic dedication rather than a procedural rite.