Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

तैर्मुक्तस्तेन वाक्येन गतास्ते कितवादयः । तदा निशीथसमये गतोऽसौ शिवमंदिरम्

Transliteration

tairmuktastena vākyena gatāste kitavādayaḥ | tadā niśīthasamaye gato'sau śivamaṃdiram

Translation

ಅವನ ಮಾತಿನ ಆಧಾರದಿಂದ ಅವರು ಅವನನ್ನು ಬಿಡಿಸಿ, ಜೂಜುಗಾರರು ಮೊದಲಾದವರು ಹೊರಟುಹೋದರು. ನಂತರ ನಿಶೀಥ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವನು ಶಿವಮಂದಿರಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋದನು.

Word by Word

• taiḥ: by them
• taiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• muktaḥ: released, let go
• muktaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukta (कृदन्त; √muc मुच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; PPP

• tena: by that
• tena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• vākyena: by (those) words
• vākyena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• gatāḥ: went
• gatāḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; √gam गम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past active participle used predicatively)

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• kitava-ādayaḥ: gamblers and others
• kitava-ādayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kitava (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘कितवाः आदयः’ इति तत्पुरुष (ādi-samāsa: ‘and others’)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• niśītha-samaye: at midnight time
• niśītha-samaye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśītha (प्रातिपदिक) + samaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘निशीथस्य समयः’)

• gataḥ: went
• gataḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; √gam गम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past active participle)

• asau: that man
• asau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; दूरवाचक सर्वनाम

• śiva-mandiram: Śiva’s temple
• śiva-mandiram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + mandira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘शिवस्य मन्दिरम्’)

Speaker

Lomaśa (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra kṣetra (Śiva-mandira)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone figure walks at midnight toward a Śiva shrine; moonlight, cold Himalayan air, the temple bell faintly visible, the liṅga sanctum suggested within.

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Śiva
• Śiva-mandira (Śiva temple)
• Kedāra (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A decisive turn toward Śiva’s temple—especially in a moment of darkness—signals the beginning of inner reversal and the opening of grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kedārakhaṇḍa, the Śiva-mandira of the Kedāra sacred region is the focal sacred site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Temple-going (śiva-maṃdira-gamana) is implied as a spiritually consequential act; details of worship/service may follow in subsequent verses.