Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 145

Devanagari script

दण्डवत्पतितो भूमावुत्थाय स्वगृहं गतः । तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं चिंतयामास वै चिरम्

Transliteration

daṇḍavatpatito bhūmāvutthāya svagṛhaṃ gataḥ | taddṛṣṭvā mahadāścaryaṃ ciṃtayāmāsa vai ciram

Translation

അവൻ ഭൂമിയിൽ ദണ്ഡവത് പ്രണാമം ചെയ്ത് വീണു; പിന്നെ എഴുന്നേറ്റ് സ്വന്തം വീട്ടിലേക്കു പോയി. ആ മഹാദ്ഭുതം കണ്ടിട്ട് ദീർഘകാലം ചിന്തിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• दण्डवत्: like a staff (prostrate)
• दण्डवत्: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/उपमान-शब्द)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (adverbial: ‘like a staff’)

• पतितः: fallen, prostrated
• पतितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) → पतित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण/विधेय

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु) → उत्थाय (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having risen’

• स्वगृहम्: his own house
• स्वगृहम्: Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयः: स्वं गृहं); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गतः: gone
• गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having seen’

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• आश्चर्यम्: wonder, marvel
• आश्चर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• चिन्तयामास: pondered, thought
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु) + आमास (परिप्रयोग)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect) परिप्रयोगः; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; निश्चय/प्रसिद्ध्यर्थ

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kriya-viseshana (Duration/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The kirāta lies full-length in daṇḍavat before the liṅga, then departs; observers remain struck by wonder as the atmosphere settles into contemplative stillness.

Characters & Entities

• Kirāta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility (daṇḍavat-pranāma) and contemplative faith deepen the devotee’s connection to the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra, where Śiva’s presence is experienced as a living wonder through darśana and worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daṇḍavat-pranāma (full prostration) as an act of reverence after worship/darśana.