Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

अभवत्क्रूरसत्त्वानां चेतः शांतं च देहिनाम् । ज्योतिषामपि तेजस्त्वमभवत्सुतरां तदा

Transliteration

abhavatkrūrasattvānāṃ cetaḥ śāṃtaṃ ca dehinām | jyotiṣāmapi tejastvamabhavatsutarāṃ tadā

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ക്രൂരജീവികളുടെ മനസ്സും ശാന്തമായി, ദേഹികളിൽ സമാധാനം വ്യാപിച്ചു; അന്നേരം ജ്യോതിസ്സുകളുടെ തേജസ്സും അത്യധികമായി വർദ്ധിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘became’

• क्रूरसत्त्वानाम्: of cruel creatures
• क्रूरसत्त्वानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सत्त्व), षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; समासः—क्रूरं सत्त्वम् (कर्मधारय) — ‘of cruel beings’

• चेतः: mind, heart
• चेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — subject of अभवत्

• शान्तम्: calm, pacified
• शान्तम्: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — predicate adjective of चेतः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) — ‘and’

• देहिनाम्: of embodied beings
• देहिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — ‘of embodied beings’

• ज्योतिषाम्: of lights (luminaries)
• ज्योतिषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — ‘of luminaries/lights’

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — ‘also/even’

• तेजस्त्वम्: brilliance, radiance
• तेजस्त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (प्रत्यय) → तेजस्त्व (भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — abstract noun ‘brightness’

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘became’

• सुतराम्: exceedingly
• सुतराम्: Vishesana (Degree adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सुतर (अव्यय/तार-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: अव्यय (तुलनात्मक-तीव्रता-बोधक क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘very much, exceedingly’

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक) — ‘then’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wave of peace spreads: predators soften, minds settle, and the sun, moon, and stars blaze with heightened purity—cosmos bathed in dharmic light.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine manifestation pacifies violence and increases inner and outer light—peace and clarity arise together.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is specified; the verse describes universal auspicious portents.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated; it is descriptive of the auspicious effects accompanying Guha’s birth.