Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

विमृश्यतां वरारोहे तत्त्वतो हि वरानने । वचो निशम्य रुद्रस्य स्मितपूर्वमभाषत

Transliteration

vimṛśyatāṃ varārohe tattvato hi varānane | vaco niśamya rudrasya smitapūrvamabhāṣata

Translation

«Réfléchis, ô toi aux cuisses gracieuses ; oui, ô toi au visage charmant, selon la vérité même.» Entendant les paroles de Rudra, elle répondit, d’abord avec un sourire.

Word by Word

• विमृश्यताम्: let (it) be examined/considered
• विमृश्यताम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मृश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (plural), आत्मनेपदम्; विधिलिङ्गार्थे/आज्ञार्थे—“let it be considered”

• वरारोहे: O fair-hipped lady
• वरारोहे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर-आरोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—वर + आरोह (one who mounts/has ascended excellence)

• तत्त्वतः: truly; in reality
• तत्त्वतः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial), तसिल्-प्रत्ययार्थः—“from/according to truth”

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• वरानने: O lovely-faced one
• वरानने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर-आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—वरम् आननम् यस्याः

• वचः: words; speech
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव—“having heard/listened”

• रुद्रस्य: of Rudra
• रुद्रस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• स्मितपूर्वम्: after smiling; with a prior smile
• स्मितपूर्वम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्मित + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास, अव्ययवत्—“with a smile beforehand/first smiling”

• अभाषत: she spoke
• अभाषत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः—अभि

Speaker

Sūta (narration; the speaking ‘she’ is Girijā) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm dialogue scene in a Himalayan hermitage near Kedāra: Rudra speaks with composed authority; the woman listens, then responds with a gentle smile, suggesting affectionate yet thoughtful debate.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Girijā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual decisions should be grounded in tattva—clear discernment of reality—rather than mere emotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named in this verse; it remains within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s sacred narrative scope.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.