Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

ददौ पशुपतिस्तस्मै सर्वभूतमहाचमूम् । विष्णुर्ददौ वैजयंतीं मालां बलविवर्धिनीम्

Transliteration

dadau paśupatistasmai sarvabhūtamahācamūm | viṣṇurdadau vaijayaṃtīṃ mālāṃ balavivardhinīm

Translation

പശുപതി അവനു സർവ്വഭൂതങ്ങളുടെ മഹാസൈന്യം ദാനം ചെയ്തു. വിഷ്ണു ബലവും വിജയവും വർധിപ്പിക്കുന്ന വൈജയന്തീ മാല അർപ്പിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पशुपतिः: Paśupati (Śiva)
• पशुपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पशूनां पतिः = ‘Lord of beings’)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वभूतमहाचमूम्: the great army of all beings
• सर्वभूतमहाचमूम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + चमू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘सर्वभूतानां महाचमूः’ = ‘great army of all beings’

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वैजयन्तीम्: Vaijayantī (garland)
• वैजयन्तीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैजयन्ती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मालाम्: garland
• मालाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बलविवर्धिनीम्: strength-increasing
• बलविवर्धिनीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ध् (धातु) → विवर्धिन् (कृदन्त, णिनि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कृदन्त: ‘बलं विवर्धयति’ = ‘increasing strength’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Paśupati extends command over a vast host of beings to Skanda; Viṣṇu places the Vaijayantī garland upon him—radiant, victory-bearing—signaling invincible strength and sanctioned leadership.

Characters & Entities

• Paśupati (Śiva)
• Guha (recipient, implied)
• Viṣṇu
• Vaijayantī mālā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine missions are supported by both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava powers—strength and victory arise when dharma is the aim.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named; the focus is on divine endowments to Guha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription; it narrates dāna-like divine bestowals (gifts) to empower Guha.