Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

ये त्वां कालं न जानंति मर्त्या गृहरता इव । एतेषां च गृहे दूतो यस्त्वां शंसतु तारकम्

Transliteration

ye tvāṃ kālaṃ na jānaṃti martyā gṛharatā iva | eteṣāṃ ca gṛhe dūto yastvāṃ śaṃsatu tārakam

Translation

“നിന്നെ കാലസ്വരൂപനായി അറിയാത്ത മർത്ത്യർ ഗൃഹാസക്ത ഗൃഹസ്ഥരെപ്പോലെ; അവരുടെ വീടുകളിലേക്കു ദൂതൻ ചെന്നു നിന്റെ മഹിമ പ്രസ്താവിക്കട്ടെ, ഹേ താരകവധക!”

Word by Word

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• kālam: time
• kālam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle): निषेध

• jānanti: know
• jānanti: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• martyāḥ: mortals
• martyāḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• gṛharatāḥ: attached to household life
• gṛharatāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक) + rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: 'गृहे रताः' = 'attached to home'

• iva: like, as if
• iva: Sambandha (Comparative particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (upamā particle): उपमा-सूचक

• eteṣām: of these
• eteṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• gṛhe: in the house
• gṛhe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• dūtaḥ: a messenger
• dūtaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• śaṃsatu: should announce/praise
• śaṃsatu: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tārakam: Tāraka (the demon)
• tārakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; (नाम)

Speaker

Śakra (Indra) (continuation of address)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra’s counsel expands into a symbolic tableau: householders engrossed in domestic life, while a divine messenger prepares to proclaim Skanda as Kāla and as Tāraka-slayer.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Skanda
• Kāla (Time)
• Mortals
• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly attachment blinds beings to impermanence; remembrance of the divine as Kāla awakens urgency for dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse emphasizes proclamation and awareness rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical instruction is implied: dispatching a dūta (messenger) to announce Skanda’s coming; no formal rite is stated.