Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

रत्याः प्रलापमाकर्ण्य देवदेवो वृषध्वजः । कृपया परया प्राह कामपत्नीं निरीक्ष्य च

Transliteration

ratyāḥ pralāpamākarṇya devadevo vṛṣadhvajaḥ | kṛpayā parayā prāha kāmapatnīṃ nirīkṣya ca

Translation

രതിയുടെ പ്രലാപം കേട്ട് ദേവദേവൻ വൃഷധ്വജൻ (ശിവൻ) കാമപത്നിയെ നോക്കി പരമകരുണയോടെ പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• रत्याः: of Rati
• रत्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• प्रलापम्: lamentation
• प्रलापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + कर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), अर्थे—श्रुत्वा (having heard)

• देवदेवः: the god of gods
• देवदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदेव (प्रातिपदिक: देव + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः)

• वृषध्वजः: he whose banner bears a bull (Śiva)
• वृषध्वजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषध्वज (प्रातिपदिक: वृष + ध्वज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य ध्वजे वृषः सः)

• कृपया: out of compassion
• कृपया: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• परया: supreme/great
• परया: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (कृपया)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कामपत्नीम्: Kāma’s wife (Rati)
• कामपत्नीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामपत्नी (प्रातिपदिक: काम + पत्नी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कामस्य पत्नी)

• निरीक्ष्य: having looked at
• निरीक्ष्य: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating; Śiva is about to speak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva with bull-banner, serene yet powerful, turns toward tearful Rati; his eyes soften; his hand lifts in reassurance (abhaya/varada), signaling compassion before speech.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Vṛṣadhvaja)
• Rati
• Kāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva embodies both justice and mercy; even after destruction, divine compassion restores balance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces Śiva’s consoling instruction.