Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अवलोक्य परा साध्वी मेनाऽजानाद्धरं तदा । गिरिजोक्तमनुस्मृत्य मेना विस्मयमागता

Transliteration

avalokya parā sādhvī menā'jānāddharaṃ tadā | girijoktamanusmṛtya menā vismayamāgatā

Translation

കണ്ടിട്ടും പരമസാധ്വിയായ മേന ആ സമയത്ത് ഹരൻ (ശിവൻ)നെ തിരിച്ചറിയാനായില്ല; ഗിരിജ (പാർവതി) പറഞ്ഞത് ഓർത്ത് മേന വിസ്മയത്തിലായി।

Word by Word

• अवलोक्य: having seen
• अवलोक्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√लोक् (लोक् दर्शने धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तः (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having seen)

• परा: excellent
• परा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• साध्वी: virtuous woman
• साध्वी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• मेना: Menā
• मेना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; साध्वी इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन

• अजानात्: did not know
• अजानात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (ज्ञा अवबोधने धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• हरम्: Hara (Śiva)
• हरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम्

• गिरिजोक्तम्: what Girijā had said
• गिरिजोक्तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गिरिजा + उक्त (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (गिरिजया उक्तम्); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मरूपेण (that which was said)

• अनुस्मृत्य: having remembered
• अनुस्मृत्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-√स्मृ (स्मृ स्मरणे धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तः (Gerund), पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having recollected)

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

• विस्मयम्: astonishment
• विस्मयम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• आगता: came to / attained
• आगता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√गम् (गम् गतौ धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (came/attained)

Speaker

Lomaśa (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Menā gazes at Śiva but cannot recognize him; her face shifts from confusion to dawning wonder as she recalls Pārvatī’s words; sages and women observe quietly.

Characters & Entities

• Menā
• Hara (Śiva)
• Girijā (Pārvatī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine may not be grasped by ordinary perception; remembrance of sacred teaching enables recognition and awe.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra/Himālaya sacred context where Śiva’s presence inspires wonder and realization.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new ritual is prescribed here; it describes darśana and the inner transformation of the devotee.