Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

त्वष्ट्रा कृतं विचित्रं च तत्सर्वं मदनात्प्रभोः । तदानीं शंकरो वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनम्

Transliteration

tvaṣṭrā kṛtaṃ vicitraṃ ca tatsarvaṃ madanātprabhoḥ | tadānīṃ śaṃkaro vākyamuvāca madhusūdanam

Translation

“പ്രഭോ, ത്വഷ്ടാവ് സൃഷ്ടിച്ച ആ വിചിത്ര സൃഷ്ടിയൊക്കെയും മദനന്റെ കാരണത്താലാണ് ഉണ്ടായത്.” അപ്പോൾ ശങ്കരൻ മധുസൂദനനോട് (വിഷ്ണുവോട്) വചനം പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• त्वष्ट्रा: by Tvaṣṭṛ
• त्वष्ट्रा: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (singular)

• कृतम्: made/constructed
• कृतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि-कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• विचित्रम्: wonderful/variegated
• विचित्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

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

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• सर्वम्: all/entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• मदनात्: from Madana (Kāma)
• मदनात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (singular)

• प्रभोः: of the lord
• प्रभोः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular)

• तदानीम्: then/at that time
• तदानीम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदानीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपदम्

• मधुसूदनम्: to Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu)
• मधुसूदनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Narrator (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta) with embedded speech; Śaṅkara addressing Madhusūdana (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi assembly (frame; not explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial artisan’s wondrous structure is referenced; Śaṅkara turns to address Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu) amid a divine assembly, suggesting a palace/maṇḍapa shimmering with crafted detail.

Characters & Entities

• Tvaṣṭṛ
• Madana
• Śaṅkara
• Śiva
• Madhusūdana
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even splendid divine manifestations can be tied to underlying causes; discernment is needed to see beyond appearances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra is the contextual sacred setting of this Kedārakhaṇḍa narration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse explains causation behind the maṇḍapa and advances the dialogue.