Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

इंद्रादयो लोकपाला ऋषयस्तेऽग्रपृष्ठतः । ऋषीणां पृष्ठतो भूत्वा पार्षदाश्च महाप्रभाः

Transliteration

iṃdrādayo lokapālā ṛṣayaste'grapṛṣṭhataḥ | ṛṣīṇāṃ pṛṣṭhato bhūtvā pārṣadāśca mahāprabhāḥ

Translation

ഇന്ദ്രാദി ലോകപാലകരും ഋഷിമാരും അഗ്രത്തിലും പൃഷ്ഠത്തിലും നിലകൊണ്ടു. ഋഷികളുടെ പിന്നിൽ മഹാപ്രഭാവമുള്ള പാർഷദന്മാർ വന്നു.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रादयः: Indra and others
• इन्द्रादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (इन्द्रः आदिः येषां ते); Nominative plural

• लोकपालाः: guardians of the worlds
• लोकपालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य पालाः); Nominative plural

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural (they)

• अग्रपृष्ठतः: in front and behind
• अग्रपृष्ठतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र + पृष्ठतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; द्वन्द्व-समास (अग्रतः च पृष्ठतः च) स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• ऋषीणाम्: of the sages
• ऋषीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; Genitive plural (of the sages)

• पृष्ठतः: behind
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• भूत्वा: having become/being
• भूत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु) → भूत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having become)

• पार्षदाः: attendants (retinue)
• पार्षदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

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

• महाप्रभाः: of great splendor
• महाप्रभाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (महान्तः प्रभाः/प्रभावाः येषां ते); Nominative plural qualifying पार्षदाः

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symmetrical formation: Indra and lokapālas with sages positioned fore and aft; behind the sages, radiant pārṣadas appear, creating a layered haloed corridor of beings.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Lokapālas
• Ṛṣis
• Pārṣadas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is celebrated, cosmic authorities (lokapālas) and spiritual seers (ṛṣis) align in harmony around the divine work.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedāranātha (Kedārakhaṇḍa).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse continues the description of the sacred retinue and its arrangement.