Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

तारकेण महादेव देवाः संपीडिता भृशम् । तदर्थं जीवितं चास्य दत्त्वा च गिरिजां प्रभो

Transliteration

tārakeṇa mahādeva devāḥ saṃpīḍitā bhṛśam | tadarthaṃ jīvitaṃ cāsya dattvā ca girijāṃ prabho

Translation

“Wahai Mahādeva, para dewa sangat ditindas oleh Tāraka. Justeru demi tujuan itu, wahai Tuhan, (kami bertindak) dengan mengurniakan dia nyawa dan mempersembahkan Girijā…”

Word by Word

• तारकेण: by Tāraka
• तारकेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (पूर्वपद) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• संपीडिताः: oppressed, tormented
• संपीडिताः: Kriyā (Predicate participle/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+पीड् (धातु) → संपीडित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भृशम्: greatly, exceedingly
• भृशम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb: exceedingly)

• तदर्थम्: for that purpose
• तदर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb: for that purpose)

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/coord. conjunction: and)

• अस्य: of him/this one
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having given)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय conjunction)

• गिरिजाम्: Girijā (Pārvatī)
• गिरिजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रभो: O lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Devas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādeva (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas report their severe oppression by Tāraka and remind Śiva of the purpose behind granting boons and offering Girijā—so that the destined deliverer may be born; the mood is urgent, martial, and devotional.

Characters & Entities

• Tārakāsura (Tāraka)
• Devas
• Śiva (Mahādeva)
• Pārvatī (Girijā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is crushed, the divine plan unfolds through Śiva and Śakti to restore balance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra sacred sphere (Kedārakhaṇḍa) is the textual setting, though no single tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it continues the devas’ strategic and devotional appeal.