Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

एतत्सर्वं महाभाग पूर्ववृत्तं च तत्त्वतः । कथनीयं च अस्माकं नान्यो वक्तास्ति कश्चन

Transliteration

etatsarvaṃ mahābhāga pūrvavṛttaṃ ca tattvataḥ | kathanīyaṃ ca asmākaṃ nānyo vaktāsti kaścana

Translation

ഹേ മഹാഭാഗ്യവാനേ! മുമ്പ് സംഭവിച്ചതെല്ലാം തത്ത്വസാരത്തോടെ ഞങ്ങളോട് പറയുക. ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് ഇത് പറയാൻ യോഗ്യനായ മറ്റൊരു വക്താവുമില്ല.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण ‘सर्वम्’ इत्यस्य

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; समासः महा + भाग

• पूर्ववृत्तम्: what happened before
• पूर्ववृत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ववृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः पूर्व + वृत्त

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• तत्त्वतः: in truth; truly
• तत्त्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, भावे तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (adverb)

• कथनीयम्: to be narrated
• कथनीयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + अनीय (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (अनीय-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be told)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• अस्माकम्: of us
• अस्माकम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धे (genitive)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• अन्यः: another (person)
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• वक्ता: speaker; narrator
• वक्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• कश्चन: anyone (at all)
• कश्चन: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्चन (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

Speaker

Ṛṣayaḥ (the sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta (requested to speak)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A respectful assembly of sages requests the narrator to reveal the prior events in their true essence; the setting suggests a forest hermitage with ritual fires and palm-leaf manuscripts.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is preserved through faithful listening and truthful narration from an authorized tradition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions as a narrative gateway within Kedārakhaṇḍa; the tirtha-glory unfolds in the surrounding chapter context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it emphasizes śravaṇa (reverent listening) and truthful exposition.