Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

तत्रानीतो हरः साक्षाद्विष्णुना ब्रह्मणा सह । लग्नं निरीक्षमाणास्ते वाचस्पतिपुरोगमाः

Transliteration

tatrānīto haraḥ sākṣādviṣṇunā brahmaṇā saha | lagnaṃ nirīkṣamāṇāste vācaspatipurogamāḥ

Translation

Là, Hara en personne fut introduit par Viṣṇu avec Brahmā ; et eux—conduits par Vācaspati—se mirent à observer le lagna, l’instant propice.

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• ānītaḥ: brought
• ānītaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicative
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nī (धातु) + ā- (उपसर्ग) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• haraḥ: Hara (Śiva)
• haraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• sākṣāt: in person
• sākṣāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'directly/in person')

• viṣṇunā: by Viṣṇu
• viṣṇunā: Sahakāraka (Agent/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• saha: together with
• saha: Sambandha (Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-निपात (particle: 'together with')

• lagnaṃ: the auspicious moment (lagna)
• lagnaṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lagna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• nirīkṣamāṇāḥ: observing/looking at
• nirīkṣamāṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-īkṣ (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle, śatṛ); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vācaspati-purogamāḥ: having Bṛhaspati as their leader
• vācaspati-purogamāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of te)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vācaspati (प्रातिपदिक) + purogama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—बहुव्रीहि (yeṣāṃ vācaspatiḥ purogamaḥ te)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu and Brahmā escort Hara into the sanctified venue; learned officiants led by Vācaspati observe the lagna, holding manuscripts/astrolabe-like time markers, eyes fixed on the moment.

Characters & Entities

• Hara (Śiva)
• Viṣṇu
• Brahmā
• Vācaspati (Bṛhaspati)
• Lagna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma values right timing and right order—cosmic harmony is mirrored in ritual precision.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s sacred assembly, where major deities participate, elevating the locale’s mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Determining/observing the lagna (auspicious moment) before proceeding with the rite.