Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

त्रैलोक्यं च जितं सर्वं ह्यनेनैव रदुरात्मना । तस्मात्त्वया निहंतव्यस्तारकः पापपूरुषः

Transliteration

trailokyaṃ ca jitaṃ sarvaṃ hyanenaiva radurātmanā | tasmāttvayā nihaṃtavyastārakaḥ pāpapūruṣaḥ

Translation

En vérité, par cet être à l’âme mauvaise, les trois mondes entiers ont été soumis ; c’est pourquoi, par toi, Tāraka, cet être pécheur, doit être mis à mort.

Word by Word

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: त्रयाणां लोकानां समाहारः (the three worlds)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• जितम्: conquered
• जितम्: Kriyā (Participial predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; त्रैलोक्यम् इति कर्मणः विशेषणम्

• सर्वम्: entire, all
• सर्वम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying त्रैलोक्यम्)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Avadhāraṇa/Hetu (Emphasis/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतुबोधक-अव्यय (indeed/for)

• अनेन: by him/this one
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: alone, indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• रदुरात्मना: by the cruel-natured one
• रदुरात्मना: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रदु + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: रदुः आत्मा यस्य सः (one whose nature is cruel/harsh)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Reason/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इति पञ्चमी-रूपेण निपातवत् (ablatival indeclinable: therefore/from that)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr̥-karaṇa (Agent expressed in instrumental/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• निहन्तव्यः: must be slain
• निहन्तव्यः: Kriyā (Obligation predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (Gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (must be slain)

• तारकः: Tāraka
• तारकः: Karma (Object-to-be-acted-upon; target of gerundive/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पापपूरुषः: sinful man
• पापपूरुषः: Viśeṣaṇa (Appositional qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: पापः पुरुषः (a sinful man)

Speaker

Nārada (deduced from the following verse: 'nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā…')

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kumāra/Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A command-like moment: Nārada urges Skanda to slay Tāraka; Skanda’s posture shifts from calm to resolute; cosmic map of three worlds symbolically under shadow, awaiting liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Tāraka
• Trailokya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When adharma overwhelms the worlds, divine intervention through dharma-yuddha becomes necessary to restore balance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is praised in this verse; it advances the Kedāra-khaṇḍa’s wider sacred narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is a moral imperative—removal of a tyrannical force obstructing dharma.