Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

तेषां प्रार्थयतां शीघ्रमन्योन्यं च विसर्पिणाम् । दावाग्निरज्वलत्तीव्रो घोरो नर्दग्धपादपः

Transliteration

teṣāṃ prārthayatāṃ śīghramanyonyaṃ ca visarpiṇām | dāvāgnirajvalattīvro ghoro nardagdhapādapaḥ

Translation

അവർ അതിവേഗം പരസ്പരം സഹായം വിളിച്ചു കൊണ്ട് ഓടിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ, ഭയാനകമായ കാട്ടുതീ പെട്ടെന്ന് അതിതീവ്രമായി ജ്വലിച്ചു; ചുറ്റുമുള്ള വൃക്ഷങ്ങളെ ദഹിപ്പിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम्

• prārthayatām: of those who were begging (for water)
• prārthayatām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-arth (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ) → षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (genitive plural) रूपम्; ‘प्रार्थयताम्’ = ‘of those who are seeking’; पुंलिङ्ग-सम्बद्धम्

• śīghram: quickly
• śīghram: Adverbial (Manner/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्ययम् (adverb)

• anyonyaṃ: each other, mutually
• anyonyaṃ: Adverbial (Reciprocal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyonya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: परस्परवाचक-अव्ययप्रयोगः (mutual/recriprocal, used adverbially)

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

• visarpiṇām: of those running about, scattering
• visarpiṇām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-sṛp (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ/णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त ‘विसर्पिन्’), पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (of teṣām)

• dāva-agniḥ: forest-fire
• dāva-agniḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāva (प्रातिपदिक) + agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• ajvalat: blazed
• ajvalat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jval (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• tīvraḥ: intense
• tīvraḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīvra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (of dāvāgniḥ)

• ghoraḥ: terrible
• ghoraḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (of dāvāgniḥ)

• naḥ: not
• naḥ: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation particle)

• dagdha-pādapaḥ: (as) a burnt tree (i.e., with trees burnt)
• dagdha-pādapaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dagdha (कृदन्त, √dah) + pādapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘दग्धः पादपः’ इति कर्मधारयः

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A terrifying wildfire erupts among trees; flames leap and roar; demons run, calling to each other, hemmed in by fire; charred trunks and sparks fill the air.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unchecked turmoil and fear intensify suffering; dharma calls for steadiness, right action, and seeking refuge in the Divine rather than panic.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as narrative description within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is a scene-setting account of a sudden calamity.