Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

विदार्य देवानखिलान्पपौ शोणितमद्बुतम् । क्षेत्रपालास्तथा चान्ये भूतप्रमथगुह्यकाः

Transliteration

vidārya devānakhilānpapau śoṇitamadbutam | kṣetrapālāstathā cānye bhūtapramathaguhyakāḥ

Translation

അവർ എല്ലാ ദേവന്മാരെയും കീറിമുറിച്ച് അത്ഭുതമായ രക്തം കുടിച്ചു; അതുപോലെ ക്ഷേത്രപാലന്മാരും മറ്റു ഭൂത-പ്രമഥ-ഗുഹ്യകഗണങ്ങളും ഉഗ്രമായി പാഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• विदार्य: having torn
• विदार्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+दॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल; having torn asunder

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• अखिलान्: all
• अखिलान्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural; विशेषण

• पपौ: drank
• पपौ: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

• शोणितम्: blood
• शोणितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• अद्भुतम्: marvellous/astonishing
• अद्भुतम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; विशेषण

• क्षेत्रपालाः: field-guardians
• क्षेत्रपालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘thus/also’

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

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; used substantively

• भूतप्रमथगुह्यकाः: bhūtas, pramathas, and guhyakas
• भूतप्रमथगुह्यकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमथ (प्रातिपदिक) + गुह्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (collective listing)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Fierce hosts tear through deva ranks; blood is drunk as a wondrous, terrifying spectacle; kṣetra-pālas and gaṇas—bhūtas, pramathas, guhyakas—surge like a storm around the sacred ground.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Kṣetrapālas
• Bhūtas
• Pramathas
• Guhyakas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The ferocity of Śiva’s retinue is depicted to stress that dharma’s protection can appear terrifying when it annihilates entrenched opposition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra is the broader context; Kṣetrapāla motifs connect to tīrtha-guardianship around Śaiva shrines.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.