Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

भवद्वधार्थं जनितस्तपसा परमेण तु । वृत्त्रोनाम महातेजाः सर्वदैत्यापिधो महान्

Transliteration

bhavadvadhārthaṃ janitastapasā parameṇa tu | vṛttronāma mahātejāḥ sarvadaityāpidho mahān

Translation

നിന്റെ വധാർത്ഥം പരമ തപസ്സാൽ ‘വൃത്ര’ എന്ന മഹാതേജസ്വിയായ മഹാൻ ജനിച്ചു; അവൻ സർവ്വ ദൈത്യർക്കും മഹാശ്രയവും ശരണവും ആയി നിലകൊണ്ടു।

Word by Word

• भवत्-वध-अर्थम्: for the purpose of your killing
• भवत्-वध-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: भवतः वधः, तस्य अर्थः)

• जनितः: was produced/born
• जनितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘उत्पन्नः/जनितः’

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• परमेण: supreme
• परमेण: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘तपसा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/contrastive particle)

• वृत्त्रः: Vṛtra
• वृत्त्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Apposition marker/नाम-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-निपात (quotative/‘by name’)

• महातेजाः: of great splendor
• महातेजाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महत् तेजः यस्य)

• सर्व-दैत्य-अपिधः: protector/cover of all demons
• सर्व-दैत्य-अपिधः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अपिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां दैत्यानाम् अपिधः/आवरणम्/आश्रयः इति)

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (contextual—Brahmā is explaining the situation to the devas; deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devas / assembly in the narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous, formidable Vṛtra arises through fierce tapas, becoming a protective rallying point for the Daityas; the devas sense impending peril.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛtra
• Daitya
• Brahmā
• Deva (implied audience)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas is powerful and value-neutral—when driven by hostile intent, it can generate formidable harm; dharma lies in motive and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedārakhaṇḍa setting remains the frame, but this verse narrates Vṛtra’s origin rather than praising a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is mentioned as the causal power, but no specific vow/rite is prescribed.