Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

आयुस्तस्य परिक्षीणमर्चतः परमेश्वरम् । अथैतच्च महाभाग चरितं श्रूयतां मम

Transliteration

āyustasya parikṣīṇamarcataḥ parameśvaram | athaitacca mahābhāga caritaṃ śrūyatāṃ mama

Translation

പരമേശ്വരനെ ആരാധിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ അവന്റെ നിശ്ചിത ആയുസ്സ് ക്ഷയിച്ച് അവസാനിച്ചു. ഇനി, ഹേ മഹാഭാഗാ, ഈ ചരിതത്തിൽ തുടർന്ന് സംഭവിച്ചതെൻനിൽ നിന്ന് ശ്രവിക്കൂ।

Word by Word

• आयुः: lifespan
• आयुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Genitive, Singular (pronoun)

• परिक्षीणम्: exhausted
• परिक्षीणम्: Karta (Subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + क्षी (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative, Singular; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• अर्चतः: of (him) worshipping
• अर्चतः: Sambandha (Genitive absolute-like: of one who worships)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Present active participle (worshipping), Genitive, Singular

• परमेश्वरम्: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; कर्मधारय: परमः ईश्वरः

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय — then

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular (here: nominative with 'caritam')

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

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular; बहुव्रीहि: महान् भागः यस्य

• चरितम्: story/deed
• चरितम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक; चर् धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative, Singular; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (deed/act)

• श्रूयताम्: let (it) be heard
• श्रूयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Imperative, 3rd person, Plural (passive sense: let it be heard)

• मम: from me / my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Genitive, Singular (pronoun)

Speaker

Lomaśa (narration continues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: mahābhāga (noble listener)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devoted king, aged, still worshipping Śiva; the narrator turns to the listener, inviting attentive hearing as the story approaches a decisive transition.

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara (Śiva)
• Śveta (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the most devoted must face the completion of lifespan; what matters is one’s spiritual orientation at that moment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-khaṇḍa context implies Kedārakṣetra’s sacred atmosphere, though the verse itself is about the turning point in the story.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ongoing worship (arcana) of Parameśvara is referenced, especially as a lifelong discipline.