Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

आजग्मुः सकलात्रास्ते यत्र देवो महेश्वरः । प्रमथैरावृतस्तत्र चंड्या चैवाभिसेवितः

Transliteration

ājagmuḥ sakalātrāste yatra devo maheśvaraḥ | pramathairāvṛtastatra caṃḍyā caivābhisevitaḥ

Translation

ആ എല്ലാ സംഘങ്ങളും ദേവൻ മഹേശ്വരൻ വിരാജിക്കുന്ന സ്ഥലത്ത് എത്തി. അവിടെ അദ്ദേഹം പ്രമഥന്മാർ ചുറ്റിപ്പറ്റി നിന്നതും, ചണ്ഡീദേവിയാൽ സേവിക്കപ്പെട്ടതുമായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• आजग्मुः: they came
• आजग्मुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः आ-

• सकलाः: all
• सकलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• त्राः: protectors/saviors
• त्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘त्र’ = रक्षक/त्राता-सम्बद्ध रूप (पाठभेदसम्भवः)

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

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा+ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—महान् ईश्वरः (कर्मधारय)

• प्रमथैः: by the Pramathas (Shiva’s attendants)
• प्रमथैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• आवृतः: surrounded
• आवृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ+वृ (धातु) → आवृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देवः/महेश्वरः)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• चण्ड्या: by Chandī (the Goddess)
• चण्ड्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अभिसेवितः: attended/served
• अभिसेवितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि+सेव् (धातु) → अभिसेवित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (महेश्वरः)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrim groups reach Maheśvara’s abode; Śiva stands/abides encircled by fierce yet protective pramathas, while Caṇḍī attends in radiant power.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Pramatha (Śiva-gaṇa)
• Caṇḍī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s sovereignty is portrayed with his divine attendants; devotion recognizes both Śiva and Śakti as present in sacred space.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra, where Maheśvara is envisioned as tangibly present with his retinue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; it describes the arrival to Śiva’s presence (darśana) within the sacred narrative setting.