Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 143

Devanagari script

शिवार्चनरतेनैव कितवेन बलिर्द्विजाः । पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव महादानरतोऽभवत्

Transliteration

śivārcanaratenaiva kitavena balirdvijāḥ | pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva mahādānarato'bhavat

Translation

ഹേ ദ്വിജന്മാരേ, കപടനായിരുന്നാലും ബലി ശിവാരാധനയിൽ നിരതനായതിനാലും, മുൻഅഭ്യാസത്തിൽ നിന്നുണ്ടായ അതേ സംസ്കാരബലത്താലും, മഹാദാനത്തിൽ പരായണനായി മാറി.

Word by Word

• शिवार्चनरतेन: by/through being devoted to Śiva-worship
• शिवार्चनरतेन: Karana (Instrument/Reason/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + अर्चन + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: ‘in Śiva-worship devoted’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; बलि-विशेषण (qualifier of Bali)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (restrictive particle)

• कितवेन: by the gambler (i.e., by that person called Kitava)
• कितवेन: Karana (Instrument/Reason/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कितव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन (singular); साधन/हेतु (instrument/cause)

• बलिः: Bali
• बलिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन (plural); संबोधनार्थे (used as address)

• पूर्वाभ्यासेन: by prior practice
• पूर्वाभ्यासेन: Karana (Instrument/Reason/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (‘previous practice’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Reason/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (restrictive particle)

• महादानरतः: devoted to great charity
• महादानरतः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + दान + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘in great giving devoted’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषण (predicate adjective of Bali)

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijas (explicitly addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bali, though known for craft, is shown absorbed in Śiva worship; the scene hints at inner change culminating in great generosity.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Bali
• Dvija (brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-bhakti refines character: worship (arcana) naturally matures into dāna (generosity) through sustained practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes Śiva-worship in general; within Kedāra-khaṇḍa the implied sacred context is Kedāra and Śaiva tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śivārcana (worship of Śiva) and mahā-dāna (great charitable giving) are praised, though not procedurally detailed.