Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

निवातकवचैः पूर्वं मोहितोऽसि शचीपते । विद्याऽमृता तत्र मया समानीतोपसत्तये

Transliteration

nivātakavacaiḥ pūrvaṃ mohito'si śacīpate | vidyā'mṛtā tatra mayā samānītopasattaye

Translation

Ô seigneur de Śacī (Indra), jadis tu fus abusé par les démons Nivātakavaca ; c’est pourquoi j’y ai porté la vidyā sacrée, semblable à l’amṛta, nectar de vie, afin que tu t’en approches et accomplisses l’œuvre.

Word by Word

• निवातकवचैः: by the Nivātakavaca(s)
• निवातकवचैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवातकवच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—निवातानां कवचाः/निवातकवचाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverbial accusative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मोहितः: deluded
• मोहितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुह् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP/क्त) विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शचीपते: O lord of Shachi (Indra)
• शचीपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—शच्याः पतिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• विद्या: knowledge, spell
• विद्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अमृता: immortal, nectar-like
• अमृता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘विद्या’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• समानीता: brought, procured
• समानीता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+नी (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘विद्या’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• उपसत्तये: for approaching/attendance
• उपसत्तये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपसत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे

Speaker

Janārdana (Viṣṇu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu reminds Indra of his earlier delusion by the Nivātakavacas and speaks of bringing ‘amṛta-like vidyā’ to enable successful engagement—knowledge depicted as radiant nectar-light.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Śacī
• Nivātakavaca
• Janārdana
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When delusion overpowers even the mighty, divine knowledge and right counsel function as amṛta—restoring discernment and enabling dharmic action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra Himalayan setting frames the episode, but the verse emphasizes divine strategy and wisdom rather than a specific bathing-place or shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the focus is on vidyā (sacred knowledge/means) as the effective support for success.