Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

लज्जाजडः स्मितं चक्रे ततः पार्थ स वै हरः । ततो विशिष्टा ब्रुवति शीघ्रं कालोऽतिवर्तते

Transliteration

lajjājaḍaḥ smitaṃ cakre tataḥ pārtha sa vai haraḥ | tato viśiṣṭā bruvati śīghraṃ kālo'tivartate

Translation

അപ്പോൾ, ഹേ പാർഥ, ലജ്ജയിൽ നിശ്ചലനായ ഹരൻ (ശിവൻ) വെറും മന്ദസ്മിതം മാത്രം ചെയ്തു. തുടർന്ന് ഒരു വിശിഷ്ട സ്ത്രീ പറഞ്ഞു—“വേഗം, സമയം കടന്നുപോകുന്നു.”

Word by Word

• lajjā-jaḍaḥ: stunned with embarrassment
• lajjā-jaḍaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lajjā (प्रातिपदिक) + jaḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लज्जया जडः)

• smitaṃ: a smile
• smitaṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• cakre: made / did
• cakre: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्ष/परिपूर्ण भूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमबोधक-अव्यय

• pārtha: O Pārtha
• pārtha: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/उपपादक-अव्यय (indeed/emphatic particle)

• haraḥ: Hara (Śiva)
• haraḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमबोधक-अव्यय

• viśiṣṭā: the distinguished lady
• viśiṣṭā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśiṣṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (विशिष्टा = ‘श्रेष्ठा स्त्री’)

• bruvati: says
• bruvati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (काव्ये)

• śīghraṃ: quickly
• śīghraṃ: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणवत् अव्यय (adverb: quickly)

• kālaḥ: time
• kālaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ativartate: passes by / elapses
• ativartate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ati-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) narrates; the direct speech is by a “viśiṣṭā” lady (contextual elder/attendant)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, momentarily bashful, offers only a gentle smile; a noble lady steps forward, gesturing that the auspicious time is slipping away.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Hara)
• A distinguished lady (viśiṣṭā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s humility and restraint are celebrated; dharmic rites also value timely, orderly completion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; it is an interpersonal moment within the divine wedding narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implicit emphasis on kāla (proper timing) in completing ritual proceedings.