Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

रुद्रस्तदा ददर्शाय वीरभद्रेण यत्कृतम् । स्वाहा स्वधा तथा पूषा भृगुर्मतिमतां वरः

Transliteration

rudrastadā dadarśāya vīrabhadreṇa yatkṛtam | svāhā svadhā tathā pūṣā bhṛgurmatimatāṃ varaḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ രുദ്രൻ വീരഭദ്രൻ ചെയ്തതെന്തെന്നു കണ്ടു—സ്വാഹാ, സ്വധാ, പൂഷൻ, കൂടാതെ ബുദ്ധിമാന്മാരിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ ഭൃഗുവിന് സംഭവിച്ചതും.

Word by Word

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (then)

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• आय: indeed (particle)
• आय: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आय (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: पादपूरण/निपातः (metrical filler/particle; often in epic style)

• वीरभद्रेण: by Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रेण: Karta (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental singular; कर्तृकरणभावे)

• यत्: what/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन (relative; accusative singular)

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः, नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘done’ (past passive participle)

• स्वाहा: Svāhā
• स्वाहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular; proper name)

• स्वधा: Svadhā
• स्वधा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular; proper name)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (also/likewise)

• पूषा: Pūṣan
• पूषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• भृगुः: Bhṛgu
• भृगुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• मतिमताम्: of the wise/intelligent
• मतिमताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मतिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Genitive plural; ‘of the intelligent’)

• वरः: the best/excellent one
• वरः: Pradhāna (Predicate/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular; appositional epithet)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kanakhala yajña-vāṭa (Dakṣa-yajña site)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rudra arrives and witnesses the aftermath: the yajña ground in disarray; Vīrabhadra’s fierce intervention has left Svāhā, Svadhā, Pūṣan, and Bhṛgu afflicted—an image of shattered ritual pride.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Vīrabhadra
• Svāhā
• Svadhā
• Pūṣan
• Bhṛgu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual power without reverence for Śiva collapses; divine order prevails over pride-filled sacrifice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra sacred landscape frames the narration (Kedārakhaṇḍa), though this verse itself focuses on the Dakṣa-yajña episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse critiques sacrificial arrogance by showing consequences at Dakṣa’s rite.