Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

वेधोहरिभ्यां च तदा सुरेद्रैः समावृतश्चर्षिभिः संपरीतः । वृषारूढो वृषकेतुर्दुरापोयोगीश्वरैरपि सर्वैरगम्यः

Transliteration

vedhoharibhyāṃ ca tadā suredraiḥ samāvṛtaścarṣibhiḥ saṃparītaḥ | vṛṣārūḍho vṛṣaketurdurāpoyogīśvarairapi sarvairagamyaḥ

Translation

Lalu, dikelilingi Brahmā dan Hari, para deva-indra serta para resi, tampaklah Sang Penunggang Lembu, yang panjinya bergambar lembu. Ia sukar dicapai, tak terjangkau bahkan oleh semua yogīśvara agung.

Word by Word

• vedhaḥ: Vedhā (Brahmā)
• vedhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• haribhyām: with the two Haris (Viṣṇu and another Hari/Viṣṇu in dual usage)
• haribhyām: Sahakāraka (Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental), द्विवचन (dual)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• sura-indraiḥ: by the lords of the gods
• sura-indraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• samāvṛtaḥ: surrounded
• samāvṛtaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of vedhaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√vṛ (वृ धातु) + क्त (PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• ṛṣibhiḥ: by sages
• ṛṣibhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• saṃparītaḥ: encircled
• saṃparītaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of vedhaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-pari-√i (इ धातु) + क्त (PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vṛṣa-ārūḍhaḥ: mounted on the bull
• vṛṣa-ārūḍhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ārūḍha (ā-√ruh धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• vṛṣa-ketuḥ: Vṛṣaketu (he whose banner/sign is the bull)
• vṛṣa-ketuḥ: Karta/Viśeṣya (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ketu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• durāpaḥ: hard to attain
• durāpaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur-āpa (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्गम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-प्रातिपदिक

• yogīśvaraiḥ: by the lords of yogins
• yogīśvaraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin-īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अपि (even/also)

• sarvaiḥ: by all
• sarvaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of yogīśvaraiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• agamyaḥ: unreachable; not attainable
• agamyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-√gam (गम् धातु) + यत् (gerundive/नीय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक-यत्-कृदन्त (not to be reached)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sudden, awe-inspiring manifestation of Śiva on a radiant bull, bull-banner unfurled; Brahmā and Hari stand nearby with devas and ṛṣis forming concentric circles; the atmosphere is charged—Mahādeva towering, unapproachable, yet present.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Devas
• Ṛṣis
• Yogīśvaras
• Bull (Vṛṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva transcends even yogic attainment; humility and grace are central—he is approached not merely by power, but by devotion and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārnātha, where Śiva’s bull-associated iconography and Himalayan presence are central to the Kedāra Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse magnifies Śiva’s unapproachable majesty and the divine assembly.