Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणा नोदितः सद्यः पुरोधाः कृतवान्प्रभुः । मंगलं शुभकल्याणं प्रस्तावसदृशं बहु

Transliteration

brahmaṇā noditaḥ sadyaḥ purodhāḥ kṛtavānprabhuḥ | maṃgalaṃ śubhakalyāṇaṃ prastāvasadṛśaṃ bahu

Translation

Poussé par Brahmā, le prêtre accomplit aussitôt de nombreux rites auspicious—bénédictions et vœux de bon augure—dignes de l’instant.

Word by Word

• brahmaṇā: by Brahmā
• brahmaṇā: Hetu/Sahakāraka (Agent/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• noditaḥ: urged/instigated
• noditaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicative (having been urged)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nud (धातु) + ita (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• sadyaḥ: immediately
• sadyaḥ: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadyaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb: 'immediately')

• purodhāḥ: the priest
• purodhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purodhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• kṛtavān: did/performed
• kṛtavān: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + ktavatu (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (perfective past active participle used finitely); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• prabhuḥ: the capable one/lordly (one)
• prabhuḥ: Karta (Appositive subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); apposition to 'purodhāḥ'

• maṃgalaṃ: auspicious rite/benediction
• maṃgalaṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃgala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• śubha-kalyāṇaṃ: good and auspicious
• śubha-kalyāṇaṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of maṃgalaṃ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक) + kalyāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—कर्मधारय (śubhaṃ ca tat kalyāṇam)

• prastāva-sadṛśaṃ: befitting the occasion
• prastāva-sadṛśaṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of maṃgalaṃ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prastāva (प्रातिपदिक) + sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: prastāvasya sadṛśam)

• bahu: much/abundant
• bahu: Viśeṣaṇa (Quantity)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); used adverbially/quantitatively with maṃgalaṃ

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The purohita, inspired by Brahmā’s prompting, performs svasti-vācana and multiple maṅgala rites—gestures of blessing, sprinkling sanctified water, and reciting auspicious formulas.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Purohita (Purōdhas)
• Maṅgala
• Śubha-kalyāṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious actions guided by dharma and divine counsel align human rites with cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s sacred domain, where even Brahmā’s direction underscores the site’s ritual grandeur.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of maṅgala-karmas (auspicious benedictions) appropriate to the ceremonial moment.