Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

वेधोहरिभ्यां च तदा सुरेद्रैः समावृतश्चर्षिभिः संपरीतः । वृषारूढो वृषकेतुर्दुरापोयोगीश्वरैरपि सर्वैरगम्यः

Transliteration

vedhoharibhyāṃ ca tadā suredraiḥ samāvṛtaścarṣibhiḥ saṃparītaḥ | vṛṣārūḍho vṛṣaketurdurāpoyogīśvarairapi sarvairagamyaḥ

Translation

Kemudian, dikelilingi oleh Brahmā dan Hari, oleh para penguasa dewa, dan dikepung para resi, tampaklah Yang Menunggang Lembu—yang panjinya bergambar lembu. Baginda sukar dicapai, tidak terjangkau bahkan oleh semua yogī-īśvara yang agung.

Word by Word

• vedhaḥ: Vedhā (Brahmā)
• vedhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• haribhyām: with the two Haris (Viṣṇu and another Hari/Viṣṇu in dual usage)
• haribhyām: Sahakāraka (Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental), द्विवचन (dual)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• sura-indraiḥ: by the lords of the gods
• sura-indraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• samāvṛtaḥ: surrounded
• samāvṛtaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of vedhaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√vṛ (वृ धातु) + क्त (PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• ṛṣibhiḥ: by sages
• ṛṣibhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• saṃparītaḥ: encircled
• saṃparītaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of vedhaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-pari-√i (इ धातु) + क्त (PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vṛṣa-ārūḍhaḥ: mounted on the bull
• vṛṣa-ārūḍhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ārūḍha (ā-√ruh धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• vṛṣa-ketuḥ: Vṛṣaketu (he whose banner/sign is the bull)
• vṛṣa-ketuḥ: Karta/Viśeṣya (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ketu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• durāpaḥ: hard to attain
• durāpaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur-āpa (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्गम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-प्रातिपदिक

• yogīśvaraiḥ: by the lords of yogins
• yogīśvaraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin-īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अपि (even/also)

• sarvaiḥ: by all
• sarvaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of yogīśvaraiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• agamyaḥ: unreachable; not attainable
• agamyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-√gam (गम् धातु) + यत् (gerundive/नीय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक-यत्-कृदन्त (not to be reached)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sudden, awe-inspiring manifestation of Śiva on a radiant bull, bull-banner unfurled; Brahmā and Hari stand nearby with devas and ṛṣis forming concentric circles; the atmosphere is charged—Mahādeva towering, unapproachable, yet present.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Devas
• Ṛṣis
• Yogīśvaras
• Bull (Vṛṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva transcends even yogic attainment; humility and grace are central—he is approached not merely by power, but by devotion and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārnātha, where Śiva’s bull-associated iconography and Himalayan presence are central to the Kedāra Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse magnifies Śiva’s unapproachable majesty and the divine assembly.