Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 156

Devanagari script

एवं साक्षेपमधुरैर्वाक्यैः क्षिप्तः सदाशिवः । किरातेन ततो रंगैर्वीरोसौ जठरं स्वकम्

Transliteration

evaṃ sākṣepamadhurairvākyaiḥ kṣiptaḥ sadāśivaḥ | kirātena tato raṃgairvīrosau jaṭharaṃ svakam

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ കിരാതന്റെ മധുരമെങ്കിലും പരിഹാസമിശ്രമായ വാക്കുകളാൽ ചൊടിപ്പിക്കപ്പെട്ട സദാശിവൻ; പിന്നെ കളിയെന്നപോലെ ആ വീര കിരാതൻ തന്റെ തന്നെ ഉദരത്തിൽ പ്രഹരിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of manner)

• साक्षेप-मधुरैः: with sweet (yet) sarcastic
• साक्षेप-मधुरैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक) + मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (instrumental plural adjective qualifying ‘vākyaiḥ’)

• वाक्यैः: by words/speeches
• वाक्यैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• क्षिप्तः: having been insulted/taunted
• क्षिप्तः: Karma (Patient; in passive construction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (having been taunted/abused)

• सदाशिवः: Sadāśiva
• सदाशिवः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदाशिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• किरातेन: by the Kirāta (hunter)
• किरातेन: Karaṇa / Agent-instrument (by the Kirāta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/अनन्तरवाचक (indeclinable adverb: then/thereafter)

• रङ्गैः: with jests/mockery
• रङ्गैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; (अर्थे: उपहास/क्रीडा-प्रकारैः)

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Karta (Apposition to ‘vīraḥ’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/असौ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• जठरम्: belly
• जठरम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जठर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• स्वकम्: his own
• स्वकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘jaṭharam’)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa) describing the episode

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce Kirāta-hunter confronts Sadāśiva with honeyed yet barbed words; the moment is charged—Śiva’s līlā as the hunter strikes his own belly, revealing extreme resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Sadāśiva
• Kirāta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic motif of divine testing appears: the Lord responds to intense devotion in ways that deepen surrender and determination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakṣetra, presented as a sacred theatre where Śiva’s līlā unfolds and devotion attains fulfillment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it is narrative description emphasizing the devotee’s extreme resolve.