Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

तस्मात्त्वया गिरिजा देव शंभो गृहीतव्या पाणिना दक्षिणेन । पाणिग्रहेणैव महानुभाव दत्ता गिरीन्द्रेण च तां कुरुष्व

Transliteration

tasmāttvayā girijā deva śaṃbho gṛhītavyā pāṇinā dakṣiṇena | pāṇigraheṇaiva mahānubhāva dattā girīndreṇa ca tāṃ kuruṣva

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട്, ഹേ ദൈവിക ശംഭോ, നീ ഗിരിജയെ വലങ്കൈകൊണ്ട് പാണിഗ്രഹണം ചെയ്ത് വിവാഹം കഴിക്കണം। ഹേ മഹാനുഭാവാ, ഗിരീന്ദ്രൻ അവളെ ദത്തമായി നൽകിയിരിക്കുന്നു; പാണിഗ്രഹണത്തിലൂടെയേ അവളെ സ്വീകരിക്കൂ.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इति अव्ययीभूत-प्रयोग (ablatival adverb): हेत्वर्थे ‘therefore’

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr̥ (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• गिरिजा: Girijā (Pārvatī)
• गिरिजा: Karma (Object to be taken)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• शंभो: O Śambhu
• शंभो: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• गृहीतव्या: must be taken (as wife)
• गृहीतव्या: Kriya (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘to be taken’ (agreeing with गिरिजा)

• पाणिना: with the hand
• पाणिना: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• दक्षिणेन: right (hand)
• दक्षिणेन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of पाणिना)

• पाणिग्रहेण: by the rite of taking the hand
• पाणिग्रहेण: Karana (Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि + ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘hand-taking’ (marriage rite)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (restrictive particle)

• महानुभाव: O great-souled one
• महानुभाव: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + अनुभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• दत्ता: given
• दत्ता: Kriya (Predicate complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘given’ (agreeing with ताम्/गिरिजाम्)

• गिरीन्द्रेण: by the lord of mountains (Himālaya)
• गिरीन्द्रेण: Karana (Agent/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

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

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कुरुष्व: do (it), accept (her)
• कुरुष्व: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Himalayan Śaiva sphere)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva (Śambhu)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā urges Śiva to accept Girijā by the right hand; Himavat’s gift is implied; the scene is charged with auspiciousness—garlands, sacred fire, and the poised gesture of pāṇigrahaṇa.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu
• Śiva
• Girijā
• Pārvatī
• Girīndra (Himālaya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through sacred rites: even cosmic purposes unfold through the sanctity of marriage and rightful union.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra’s Śaiva milieu is implied; the verse emphasizes the Himalayan (Girīndra) context of Girijā rather than a specific bathing-place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pāṇigrahaṇa (the marriage rite of taking the bride’s hand) is explicitly mentioned as the means of accepting Girijā.