Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

महादेव उवाच । सुखेन स्थीयते ब्रह्मन्किं कार्यं करवाणि ते । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं शंभोर्नारदो वाक्यमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

mahādeva uvāca | sukhena sthīyate brahmankiṃ kāryaṃ karavāṇi te | tacchrutvā vacanaṃ śaṃbhornārado vākyamabravīt

Translation

Mahādeva dit : «Demeure dans la joie, ô brahmane. Que dois-je faire pour toi ?» Entendant les paroles de Śaṃbhu, Nārada répondit.

Word by Word

• महादेवः: Mahadeva (Shiva)
• महादेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सुखेन: comfortably, with ease
• सुखेन: Adverbial/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• स्थीयते: one remains / it is stayed
• स्थीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is stayed/stands)

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma/Predicate complement (कर्म/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• कार्यम्: task, thing to be done
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः यत्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन

• करवाणि: shall I do / may I do
• करवाणि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘किं कार्यं करवाणि’ = ‘what shall I do?’

• ते: for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन वा चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) एकवचन; अत्र दातृसम्बन्धे चतुर्थी-भावः (‘for you’)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘श्रुत्वा’ इत्यस्य कर्म

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund)

• वचनम्: speech, words
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शंभोः: of Shambhu
• शंभोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Śiva (Mahādeva/Śaṃbhu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva speaks gently to Nārada: ‘Stay happily, O Brahmin; what shall I do for you?’ Nārada listens attentively, poised to respond; Pārvatī present as compassionate witness.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When devotion ripens, the Lord responds personally, offering protection, peace, and readiness to fulfill what is beneficial.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The exchange occurs within Kedāra Khaṇḍa, associated with Kedāra’s Śaiva sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a boon-offering dialogue following darśana and praise.