Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

नीतं सर्वप्रयत्नेन पातालं त्वरितं गताः । शुक्रप्रसादात्ते सर्वे तथा विजयिनोऽभवन्

Transliteration

nītaṃ sarvaprayatnena pātālaṃ tvaritaṃ gatāḥ | śukraprasādātte sarve tathā vijayino'bhavan

Translation

സകല ശ്രമത്തോടെയും അത് കൊണ്ടുപോയി അവർ വേഗത്തിൽ പാതാളത്തിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങി; ശുക്രാചാര്യന്റെ പ്രസാദത്താൽ അവർ എല്ലാവരും തീർച്ചയായും വിജയികളായി।

Word by Word

• nītam: taken, led away
• nītam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √nī (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः

• sarva-prayatnena: with all effort, by every means
• sarva-prayatnena: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarva-prayatna (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + प्रयत्न)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः; तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण (instrumental used adverbially)

• pātālam: to Pātāla (netherworld)
• pātālam: Gati/Karma (Destination as object/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• tvaritam: quickly
• tvaritam: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tvarita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणार्थे नपुंसक-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (adverbial accusative)

• gatāḥ: went
• gatāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• śukra-prasādāt: from (due to) Śukra's favor
• śukra-prasādāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śukra-prasāda (प्रातिपदिक; शुक्र + प्रसाद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (te)

• tathā: thus, so
• tathā: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/सम्बन्धबोधक: 'thus/so')

• vijayinaḥ: victorious
• vijayinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vijayin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (te)

• abhavan: became, were
• abhavan: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Daityas bearing the seized regalia and wealth, descending through a cavernous cosmic passage to Pātāla; Śukra depicted as radiant preceptor bestowing victory with a gesture.

Characters & Entities

• Pātāla
• Śukra (Śukrācārya)
• Daityas/Dānavas (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even worldly victory is portrayed as dependent on ācārya-prasāda; alignment with a teacher’s support empowers outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; the verse references Pātāla as a realm, not a pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it underscores the principle of success through the grace of one’s preceptor.