Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

दासी दास्यश्च बहवः संति देवि तवाग्रतः । तवाज्ञया करिष्यंति सर्वं संमार्जनादिकम्

Transliteration

dāsī dāsyaśca bahavaḥ saṃti devi tavāgrataḥ | tavājñayā kariṣyaṃti sarvaṃ saṃmārjanādikam

Translation

Ô Dame, de nombreuses servantes et suivantes se tiennent devant toi. Sur ton ordre, elles accompliront tout—le balayage et le reste.

Word by Word

• दासी: female servant
• दासी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दास्यः: male servants
• दास्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• सन्ति: are
• सन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• देवि: O goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अग्रतः: in front (of)
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आज्ञया: by (your) command
• आज्ञया: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• करिष्यन्ति: will do
• करिष्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• संमार्जनादिकम्: cleaning and related tasks
• संमार्जनादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संमार्जन + आदिक (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्धारणार्थ-समास ("cleaning and the like")

Speaker

Ṛṣi Uddālaka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A noble lady stands before a sage; behind her, rows of maidservants with brooms, water-pots, and baskets await her command near a Himalayan Śiva-temple courtyard.

Characters & Entities

• Uddālaka
• Sundarī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse contrasts delegated work with personal devotion, setting up the teaching that heartfelt service is superior.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s Śiva temple context, where even routine tasks become spiritually significant.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Saṃmārjana-ādika—sweeping and allied temple-maintenance services supporting worship.