Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मेंद्रविष्णुवाय्यग्निलोकपालाः सपन्नगाः । विस्मयाविष्टमनसः परस्परमथाब्रुवन्

Transliteration

brahmeṃdraviṣṇuvāyyagnilokapālāḥ sapannagāḥ | vismayāviṣṭamanasaḥ parasparamathābruvan

Translation

Brahmā, Indra, Viṣṇu, Vāyu, Agni, les gardiens des mondes (lokapāla)—avec les êtres-serpents (nāga)—l’esprit saisi d’émerveillement, se parlèrent alors les uns aux autres.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्म-इन्द्र-विष्णु-वायु-अग्नि-लोकपालाः: Brahmā, Indra, Viṣṇu, Vāyu, Agni, and the world-guardians
• ब्रह्म-इन्द्र-विष्णु-वायु-अग्नि-लोकपालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + लोकपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (collective listing)

• स-पन्नगाः: together with the serpents
• स-पन्नगाः: Karta (Co-subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘सह’ अर्थे (with)

• विस्मय-आविष्ट-मनसः: whose minds were filled with astonishment
• विस्मय-आविष्ट-मनसः: Karta (Adjectival to subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक) + आविष्ट (आ + विश् धातु, क्त) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणवत्—‘विस्मयेन आविष्टं मनो येषाम्’ (whose minds were seized by wonder)

• परस्परम्: to one another
• परस्परम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paraspara (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (reciprocal adverb)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• अब्रुवन्: they said/spoke
• अब्रुवन्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A semicircle of Brahmā, Indra, Viṣṇu, Vāyu, Agni, and lokapālas stands with nāgas coiled nearby; all gaze upward at the mysterious liṅga, faces filled with astonishment, then begin counsel.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Indra
• Viṣṇu
• Vāyu
• Agni
• Lokapālas
• Nāgas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest gods are humbled and amazed before the infinite sign (liṅga) of Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra indirectly—its liṅga-māhātmya is elevated by showing the gods’ awe.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.