Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

गुरोर्वचनमाकर्ण्य आह्वयन्मदनं हरिः । आह्वानादाजगामाथ मदनः कार्यसाधकः

Transliteration

gurorvacanamākarṇya āhvayanmadanaṃ hariḥ | āhvānādājagāmātha madanaḥ kāryasādhakaḥ

Translation

ഗുരുവിന്റെ വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ട് ഹരി മദനനെ വിളിച്ചു; ആ ആഹ്വാനത്താൽ കാര്യസാധകനായ മദനൻ അവിടെ എത്തി।

Word by Word

• गुरोः: of the teacher (Bṛhaspati)
• गुरोः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• वचनम्: words/speech
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√कर्ण्/√श्रु (धात्वर्थः ‘to hear’) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having heard)

• आह्वयन्: calling/summoning
• आह्वयन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√ह्वे (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले परस्मैपदी शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘हरिः’ विशेषयति

• मदनम्: Madana (Kāma)
• मदनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• आह्वानात्: from the summons / due to the call
• आह्वानात्: Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आह्वान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• आजगाम: came
• आजगाम: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्ययम् (then/thereupon)

• मदनः: Madana
• मदनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• कार्यसाधकः: accomplisher of the task
• कार्यसाधकः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी/कर्म-तत्पुरुषः (‘कार्यं साधयति’/‘कार्यस्य साधकः’)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), deduced from narrative flow

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hari (Viṣṇu) stands after hearing Bṛhaspati, raising his hand in summons; Madana appears promptly, youthful and radiant, bearing floral insignia.

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaspati
• Hari
• Madana (Kāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When guided by rightful counsel, action is taken decisively and the necessary forces are mobilized.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra Khaṇḍa setting is implicit; the verse itself narrates the summoning of Madana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; it depicts āhvāna (summoning/invocation) as a narrative act.