Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

किं कार्यं कथ्यतां देवाः कुमारेणाधुना मम । तदोचुः सहिताः सर्वे देवं पशुपतिं प्रति

Transliteration

kiṃ kāryaṃ kathyatāṃ devāḥ kumāreṇādhunā mama | tadocuḥ sahitāḥ sarve devaṃ paśupatiṃ prati

Translation

«Ô dieux, dites-moi : quelle tâche mon Kumāra doit-il accomplir à présent ?» Alors tous ensemble s’adressèrent au Seigneur Paśupati.

Word by Word

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कार्यम्: task, matter
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• कथ्यताम्: let it be told / tell (me)
• कथ्यताम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थे आज्ञा

• देवाः: O gods
• देवाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे अपि (O gods)

• कुमारेण: by/through the Kumāra
• कुमारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• सहिताः: together, united
• सहिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (प्रातिपदिक; √सह्/सह ‘to accompany’ से निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• देवम्: the god (Śiva)
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• पशुपतिम्: Paśupati (Lord of beings)
• पशुपतिम्: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पशूनां पतिः)

• प्रति: to, towards
• प्रति: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: संबन्ध-अव्यय; ‘towards/to’

Speaker

Śiva (Paśupati) and then the Devas (reply begins)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, still holding Kumāra, asks the assembled devas what task is to be done by his son; the devas prepare to respond in unison to Paśupati.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Paśupati)
• Kumāra (Skanda/Kārttikeya)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is threatened, the divine mission is clarified through humble petition and rightful authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedārakhaṇḍa setting implies Kedāra sacred geography, though no particular tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a question-and-response setup.