Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

यमस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा इंद्रसेनोभ्यभाषत । अहं शिवं न जानामि मृगयारसिको ह्यहम्

Transliteration

yamasya vacanaṃ śrutvā iṃdrasenobhyabhāṣata | ahaṃ śivaṃ na jānāmi mṛgayārasiko hyaham

Translation

ଯମଙ୍କ ବଚନ ଶୁଣି ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରସେନ କହିଲା—“ମୁଁ ଶିବଙ୍କୁ ଜାଣେନି; ମୁଁ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ମୃଗୟାରେ ରସିକ।”

Word by Word

• यमस्य: of Yama
• यमस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वचनम्: speech, words
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — having heard

• इन्द्रसेनः: Indrasena
• इन्द्रसेनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्यभाषत: replied, spoke
• अभ्यभाषत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद — Imperfect, 3rd person, singular, middle

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Pronoun, Nominative, Singular

• शिवम्: Shiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• जानामि: I know
• जानामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान/Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Present, 1st person, singular, active

• मृगयारसिकः: a lover of hunting
• मृगयारसिकः: Viśeṣya (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगया+रसिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Pronoun, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Indrasena

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra kṣetra (implicit)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, dressed as a hunter with bow and quiver, speaks candidly before Yama; the contrast between his rugged life and the divine courtroom heightens pathos and the possibility of transformation.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Indrasena
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even one who feels unconnected to Śiva can be drawn into grace through the unfolding of karma and sacred context.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra (Kedarnath region) within the Kedārakhaṇḍa’s sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed in this verse; it is a personal confession within a dharmic dialogue.