Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

श्रृणुध्वं कथयामीह इतिहासं पुरातनम् । कृतं शिवालयं यच्च पतंग्या मार्जनं पुरा

Transliteration

śrṛṇudhvaṃ kathayāmīha itihāsaṃ purātanam | kṛtaṃ śivālayaṃ yacca pataṃgyā mārjanaṃ purā

Translation

Écoutez : je vais rapporter ici un récit ancien, comment jadis un petit oiseau accomplit le balayage d’un temple de Śiva.

Word by Word

• शृणुध्वम्: listen (you all)
• शृणुध्वम्: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् लकार (Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष बहुवचन (2nd person plural); आत्मनेपदम्

• कथयामि: I narrate/tell
• कथयामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (धातु) with णिच् (causative) → कथयति
• Form: लट् लकार (Present); उत्तमपुरुष एकवचन (1st person singular); परस्मैपदम्

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• इतिहासम्: a legend/history
• इतिहासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिहास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• पुरातनम्: ancient
• पुरातनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Accusative singular); विशेषण (agreeing with इतिहासम्)

• कृतम्: made/constructed
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + क्त (past passive participle)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular); कर्मणि प्रयोगे 'made'

• शिव-आलयम्: Śiva’s abode/temple
• शिव-आलयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (आलयः m.; here accusative singular as object of implied verb); द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (शिवस्य आलयः)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular); सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• पतङ्ग्या: by a female bird (pataṅgī)
• पतङ्ग्या: Karana (Agent/means in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• मार्जनम्: cleaning/sweeping
• मार्जनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्जन (प्रातिपदिक; from √मृज् (धातु) 'to wipe/clean')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly/once)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual) / Śivālaya (unspecified)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a simple Śiva temple: a small bird flutters near the floor, wings brushing away dust; devotees look on in astonishment as the act becomes sacred service.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śivālaya
• pataṅgī (a small bird)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even simple service like cleaning a Śiva temple becomes powerful Śiva-sevā and yields great merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakhaṇḍa sacred landscape, where Śiva’s presence is praised through acts of devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mārjana—sweeping/cleaning the Śiva temple as an act of devotional service.