Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नंतरे मेना समायाता सखीगणैः । नीराजनार्थं शंभुं च ऋषिभिः परिवारिता

Transliteration

etasminnaṃtare menā samāyātā sakhīgaṇaiḥ | nīrājanārthaṃ śaṃbhuṃ ca ṛṣibhiḥ parivāritā

Translation

അതിനിടയിൽ മേന സഖീഗണങ്ങളോടുകൂടെ എത്തി; ഋഷിമാർ ചുറ്റിനിന്നു, ശംഭു (ശിവൻ)നു നീരാജനം ചെയ്യുവാൻ അവൾ അവിടെ എത്തിച്ചേർന്നു।

Word by Word

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; विशेषणरूपेण

• अन्तरे: in the interval
• अन्तरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्

• मेना: Menā
• मेना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्

• समायाता: having arrived
• समायाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-या (धातु) → समायात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (arrived)

• सखीगणैः: with groups of female friends
• सखीगणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखी + गण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (सखीनां गणः); पुल्लिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्

• नीराजनार्थम्: for the purpose of ārati (waving lights)
• नीराजनार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीराजन + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (नीराजनस्य अर्थः); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose)

• शम्भुम्: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्

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

• ऋषिभिः: by/with sages
• ऋषिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्

• परिवारिता: surrounded
• परिवारिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√वृ (वृञ् वरणे धातु) → परिवारित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (surrounded)

Speaker

Lomaśa (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Menā arrives in a sacred Himalayan Śiva-āśrama/kshetra with her companions; sages stand around; she prepares to wave lamps before Śambhu in a solemn yet festive devotional moment.

Characters & Entities

• Menā
• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is expressed through auspicious service—honouring Śiva with nīrājana signifies reverence and surrender.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra/Himālaya sacred setting where Śiva is worshipped with ceremonial welcome.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nīrājana (ārati)—the auspicious waving of lights before the deity—performed here for Śiva.