Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ततो दुंदुभयो नेदुः शंखाश्च कृतनिश्चयाः । ताडिता विविधैर्वाद्यैः सुरासुरसमन्वितैः

Transliteration

tato duṃdubhayo neduḥ śaṃkhāśca kṛtaniścayāḥ | tāḍitā vividhairvādyaiḥ surāsurasamanvitaiḥ

Translation

ତାପରେ ଦୁନ୍ଦୁଭି ନିନାଦିତ ହେଲା, ଦୃଢ଼ ନିଶ୍ଚୟରେ ଶଙ୍ଖଧ୍ୱନି ମଧ୍ୟ ଉଠିଲା; ଦେବ-ଅସୁର ସମାବେଶ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ବାଦ୍ୟ ତାଡ଼ିତ ହେଲା।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: ततः-इति क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• duṃdubhayaḥ: kettledrums
• duṃdubhayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duṃdubhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• neduḥ: resounded
• neduḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nad (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• śaṃkhāḥ: conches
• śaṃkhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• kṛta-niścayāḥ: having firm resolve
• kṛta-niścayāḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta + niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण; (kṛtaḥ niścayaḥ yeṣām) 'resolved'

• tāḍitāḥ: struck/played
• tāḍitāḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāḍ (धातु) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (duṃdubhayaḥ/śaṃkhāḥ)

• vividhaiḥ: various
• vividhaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of vādyaiḥ)

• vādyaiḥ: musical instruments
• vādyaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• surāsura-samanvitaiḥ: accompanied by gods and demons
• surāsura-samanvitaiḥ: Karana (Instrument-qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sura + asura + samanvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of vādyaiḥ); द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद (surāśca asurāśca) + samanvita ('accompanied by')

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied Purāṇic audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A surge of sound: kettle-drums thunder and conches blare as Devas and Asuras assemble; many instruments strike together, signaling irrevocable commitment to battle.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Asuras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Resolve (niścaya) and righteous readiness are portrayed as precursors to dharmic action, even amid cosmic conflict.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader narrative belongs to Kedārakhaṇḍa, associated with the Kedāra (Kedārnātha) sacred region, though this verse itself is a battle-scene setup.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes martial auspicious sounds (conch and drums), not a vrata or rite.