Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

विस्मितास्ते च ददृशुर्विमानं पुरतः स्थितम् । इंद्रद्युम्नकृते देवदूतेनाधिष्ठितं तदा

Transliteration

vismitāste ca dadṛśurvimānaṃ purataḥ sthitam | iṃdradyumnakṛte devadūtenādhiṣṭhitaṃ tadā

Translation

അവർ വിസ്മയത്തോടെ മുന്നിൽ നിലകൊണ്ട ദിവ്യവിമാനം കണ്ടു; അപ്പോൾ ഇന്ദ്രദ്യുമ്നന്റെ ഹിതാർത്ഥം അയക്കപ്പെട്ട ദേവദൂതൻ അതിൽ അധിഷ്ഠിതനായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• विस्मिताः: astonished
• विस्मिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मित (कृदन्त; √स्मि/स्मय् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘विस्मित’ = astonished

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• ददृशुः: saw
• ददृशुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• विमानम्: celestial chariot
• विमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (adverb)

• स्थितम्: standing/placed
• स्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• इंद्रद्युम्नकृते: for Indradyumna
• इंद्रद्युम्नकृते: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इंद्रद्युम्न + कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘इंद्रद्युम्नस्य कृते’ = for Indradyumna)

• देवदूतेन: by the divine messenger
• देवदूतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘देवानां दूतः’)

• अधिष्ठितम्: occupied/commanded
• अधिष्ठितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिष्ठित (कृदन्त; अधि-√स्था धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant vimāna stands before astonished onlookers; a luminous devadūta occupies it, indicating it was dispatched for King Indradyumna.

Characters & Entities

• Vimāna
• Devadūta
• Indradyumna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Merit (puṇya) and righteous conduct can culminate in divine assistance, symbolized by the arrival of a devadūta and vimāna.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific pilgrimage site is mentioned; the verse depicts celestial intervention in the king’s story.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the consequence (phala) rather than prescribing a ritual.