Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

मामादिश्यासुरेन्द्राय प्राहिणोद्दौत्ययोग्यकम् । अहं स्वयं गन्तुकामः शक्रेणापि च प्रेषितः

Transliteration

māmādiśyāsurendrāya prāhiṇoddautyayogyakam | ahaṃ svayaṃ gantukāmaḥ śakreṇāpi ca preṣitaḥ

Translation

मुझे आदेश देकर उसने मुझे—दूत-कार्य के योग्य—असुरेन्द्र के पास भेजा। मैं स्वयं भी जाने को उत्सुक था, और शक्र ने भी मुझे प्रेषित किया।

Word by Word

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• ādiśya: having ordered
• ādiśya: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√diś (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (absolutive/ल्यपन्त): 'having instructed/ordered'

• asurendrāya: to the lord of the Asuras
• asurendrāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: 'असुराणाम् इन्द्रः' = 'lord of asuras'

• prāhiṇot: sent forth
• prāhiṇot: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√hi (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• dautyayogyakam: one fit for embassy
• dautyayogyakam: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dautya (प्रातिपदिक) + yogyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: 'दौत्ये योग्यः' = 'fit for messenger-duty' (used as object complement)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• svayam: personally
• svayam: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): 'oneself/personally'

• gantukāmaḥ: desirous of going
• gantukāmaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √gam (धातु) + तुमुन् (infinitive) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कृदन्त-समास (तत्पुरुष): 'गन्तुं कामः' = 'desirous to go'

• śakreṇa: by Śakra (Indra)
• śakreṇa: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): 'also/even'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): समुच्चय

• preṣitaḥ: (was) sent
• preṣitaḥ: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√iṣ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त): पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'sent/commissioned'

Speaker

Dhanañjaya (messenger) (first-person narration implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The narrator (Dhanañjaya) describes being instructed and dispatched as a qualified messenger to the Asura lord, eager to undertake the journey under Indra’s command.

Characters & Entities

• Dhanañjaya
• Śakra (Indra)
• Asurendra (lord of Asuras)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in conflict, dharma employs proper channels—envoys and clear communication—before force.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; it is a mission narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes a diplomatic dispatch (dūta-karma).