Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

कृताः सर्वे महाभागाः सात्त्विका राजसाश्च वै । प्रहस्य भगवाञ्छंभुर्गणेशं वक्तुमुद्यतः

Transliteration

kṛtāḥ sarve mahābhāgāḥ sāttvikā rājasāśca vai | prahasya bhagavāñchaṃbhurgaṇeśaṃ vaktumudyataḥ

Translation

ഇവർ എല്ലാവരും മഹാഭാഗ്യവർ; സാത്ത്വികവും രാജസവും ആയ സ്വഭാവങ്ങളോടെ സൃഷ്ടിക്കപ്പെട്ടവർ. ഭഗവാൻ ശംഭു പുഞ്ചിരിയോടെ ഗണേശനോട് മറുപടി പറയാൻ ഒരുങ്ങി.

Word by Word

• kṛtāḥ: made/created
• kṛtāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) → kṛta (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘made/created/constituted’

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• mahā-bhāgāḥ: very fortunate/noble
• mahā-bhāgāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रthama), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान् भागः/भाग्यं येषाम्)

• sāttvikāḥ: sattvic
• sāttvikāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāttvika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• rājasāḥ: rajasic
• rājasāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rājasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

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

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (particle ‘indeed’)

• prahasya: having laughed
• prahasya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-has (धातु) → prahasya (कृदन्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) ‘having laughed/smiled’

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• śaṃbhuḥ: Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• gaṇeśam: Gaṇeśa
• gaṇeśam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• vaktum: to speak
• vaktum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) → vaktum (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive) ‘to speak’

• udyataḥ: ready/intending
• udyataḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-yam (धातु) → udyata (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘ready/intent’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; immediately followed by “Maheśvara uvāca”)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (Śambhu) smiles gently, turning toward Gaṇeśa/gaṇa leader. The assembly quiets; the moment is poised between question and revelation, with the Himalayas as a serene witness.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śambhu)
• Gaṇeśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Beings are shaped by guṇas, and divine instruction (Śiva’s teaching) clarifies their role and transcendence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakhaṇḍa is the setting; this verse functions as narrative transition rather than direct tirtha-praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces Śiva’s forthcoming explanation.