Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

हाहाकारेण महता व्याप्तमासीद्दिगंतरम् । सर्वे ते मंचमारूढाः शस्त्रैर्व्याप्ता निरंतराः

Transliteration

hāhākāreṇa mahatā vyāptamāsīddigaṃtaram | sarve te maṃcamārūḍhāḥ śastrairvyāptā niraṃtarāḥ

Translation

വലിയൊരു ഹാഹാകാരത്താൽ ദിക്കുകൾ മുഴുവൻ നിറഞ്ഞു. മഞ്ചങ്ങളിൽ ഇരുന്നിരുന്ന അവരെല്ലാം ആയുധങ്ങളാൽ ചുറ്റപ്പെട്ടവരായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• हाहाकारेण: by the great cry of lamentation
• हाहाकारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हाहाकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• महता: great
• महता: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental singular; विशेषण (हाहाकारेण)

• व्याप्तम्: pervaded, filled
• व्याप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु) + वि उपसर्ग; व्याप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘आसीत्’ इति सह—past passive participle used predicatively

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperfect, 3rd sg

• दिगन्तरम्: the space between the directions; the whole expanse of the quarters
• दिगन्तरम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Nominative/Accusative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दिशाम् अन्तरम्)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural

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

• मञ्चम्: a platform, stage
• मञ्चम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular; गत्यर्थक-क्रियायाः कर्म

• आरूढाः: having mounted, having climbed onto
• आरूढाः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुह् (धातु) + आ उपसर्ग; आरूढ (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — past participle used as predicate

• शस्त्रैः: with weapons
• शस्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• व्याप्ताः: pervaded, covered
• व्याप्ताः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √आप् (धातु) + वि उपसर्ग; व्याप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ते)

• निरन्तराः: without break, continuous
• निरन्तराः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ते)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa, per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast directional expanse reverberates with a collective ‘hā hā’; armed beings stand upon raised platforms/daïs, packed tightly, weapons flashing as the atmosphere turns apocalyptic.

Characters & Entities

• Yajña assembly
• participants at Dakṣa’s sacrifice

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When a sacred rite is driven by ego and disrespect, the ‘yajña’ turns into chaos rather than merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it is part of Kedārakhaṇḍa’s broader sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes the immediate reaction and militarized confusion at the sacrificial venue.