Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

इति परमकलान्वितोऽसौ सुरमुनिवरगणैश्च पूज्यमानः । नहुषनृपवरोऽभवत्तदानीं हृदि महता हृच्छयेनतप्तः

Transliteration

iti paramakalānvito'sau suramunivaragaṇaiśca pūjyamānaḥ | nahuṣanṛpavaro'bhavattadānīṃ hṛdi mahatā hṛcchayenataptaḥ

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ പരമകലകളാൽ സമന്വിതനായി ദേവന്മാരുടെയും ശ്രേഷ്ഠ മുനിവരഗണങ്ങളുടെയും പൂജ ലഭിച്ച ആ നഹുഷ നൃപശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ അന്നേരം ഹൃദയത്തിൽ മഹാദാഹകമായ ആഗ്രഹംകൊണ്ട് ഉള്ളിൽ കത്തിപ്പൊള്ളുകയായി।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative/iti-marker)

• परमकलान्वितः: endowed with supreme arts
• परमकलान्वितः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमकला (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त; √इ (इण्) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (परमकला-सम्बद्धः)

• असौ: he (that one)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• सुरमुनिवरगणैः: by groups of the best sages among the gods
• सुरमुनिवरगणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + मुनिवर (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सुराणां मुनिवराणां च गणैः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पूज्यमानः: being worshipped
• पूज्यमानः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पूज् (पूजायाम् धातु) + यमान (कृदन्त; कर्मणि वर्तमानकाले शानच्/मान)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि वर्तमानकृदन्त (passive present participle)

• नहुषनृपवरः: Nahusha, the best of kings
• नहुषनृपवरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नहुष (प्रातिपदिक) + नृपवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (नहुषः एव नृपवरः)

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (भवति)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तदानीम्: then, at that time
• तदानीम्: Adhikarana (Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदानीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• हृदि: in (his) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• महता: by great
• महता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• हृच्छयेन: by heart-born desire
• हृच्छयेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत्/हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + शय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (हृदि शयः = हृच्छयः; ‘heart-dwelling (desire)’)

• तप्तः: tormented, scorched
• तप्तः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √तप् (सन्तापे धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-audience / interlocutor in Kedāra-kathā frame (not explicit in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nahuṣa enthroned, radiant with acquired powers, surrounded by devas and ṛṣis offering worship; yet a subtle visual cue of inner burning—tightened brow, restless gaze—hinting at desire igniting within.

Characters & Entities

• Nahuṣa
• Sura
• Muni

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when honored and accomplished, unchecked desire can arise within and become the hidden cause of ruin; self-restraint is central to dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is glorified in this verse; it marks a psychological turning point in the Svarga narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse focuses on inner transformation (desire) rather than external ritual.