Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

बलिनो रूपिणः सर्वे मेर्वाद्यास्तत्र पर्वताः । वरयात्राप्रसंगेन शिवार्चनपराभवन्

Transliteration

balino rūpiṇaḥ sarve mervādyāstatra parvatāḥ | varayātrāprasaṃgena śivārcanaparābhavan

Translation

Toutes ces montagnes—à commencer par Meru—étaient puissantes et prirent des formes visibles. À l’occasion du cortège nuptial, elles se vouèrent au culte de Śiva.

Word by Word

• बलिनः: strong
• बलिनः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पर्वताः)

• रूपिणः: beautiful/possessing form
• रूपिणः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पर्वताः)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पर्वताः)

• मेर्वाद्याः: beginning with Meru (Meru and others)
• मेर्वाद्याः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेरु + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पर्वताः); तत्पुरुषः (मेरुः आदिः येषाम्/मेरुम् आदिं कृत्वा)

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

• पर्वताः: mountains
• पर्वताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• वरयात्रा: (by) the bridegroom’s procession
• वरयात्रा: Hetu/Nimitta (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (समासान्त-प्रयोगः ‘-प्रसङ्गेन’ इत्यनेन सह); तत्पुरुषः (वरस्य यात्रा)

• प्रसङ्गेन: by the occasion/connection
• प्रसङ्गेन: Hetu/Nimitta (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; निमित्त/हेतौ (by occasion of)

• शिवार्चनपराः: devoted to worship of Śiva
• शिवार्चनपराः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + अर्चन + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पर्वताः); तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य अर्चने पराः)

• अभवन्: became
• अभवन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Meru and other mountains appear as powerful, personified beings in a wedding-procession setting, turning toward Śiva worship—hands folded, offerings raised, with Śiva’s presence implied as the devotional focus.

Characters & Entities

• Meru
• Śiva
• Mountains (personified)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious sacred events awaken worship: even the mighty mountains turn toward Śiva-arcana, modeling steadfast devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra’s wider Himalayan sacred field, where Śiva’s presence inspires universal worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śiva-arcana (worship of Śiva) is implied as the devotional response, though no detailed procedure is specified.