Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

त्वया दृष्टोऽथ वात्रासौ कथ्यतामविलंबितम् । किं कार्यं धनदेनाद्य इति पृष्टो मया हि सः

Transliteration

tvayā dṛṣṭo'tha vātrāsau kathyatāmavilaṃbitam | kiṃ kāryaṃ dhanadenādya iti pṛṣṭo mayā hi saḥ

Translation

ସେ କହିଲା— “ତୁମେ ତାକୁ ଦେଖିଛ କି ନାହିଁ? ବିଳମ୍ବ ନ କରି କହ।” ତେବେ ମୁଁ ପଚାରିଲି— “ଆଜି ଧନଦ (କୁବେର) ସହ ତୋର କଣ କାମ?”

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दृष्टः: was seen
• दृष्टः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle) प्रयुक्तः क्रियार्थे; पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (Then/now)

• वा: or/indeed
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (Disjunctive particle)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (Adverb of place)

• असौ: that person (he)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथ्यताम्: let it be told
• कथ्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• अविलंबितम्: without delay
• अविलंबितम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ (नञ्) + विलंबित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (Adverbial accusative): 'without delay'

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Interrogative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• कार्यम्: task/business
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• धनदेन: by Dhanada (Kubera)
• धनदेन: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (Adverb of time)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक अव्यय (Quotative particle)

• पृष्टः: was asked
• पृष्टः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle) प्रयुक्तः क्रियार्थे; पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (Particle), निश्चयार्थक

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Nandīśvara (narrating; includes Rāvaṇa’s demand and Nandin’s question)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Unspecified

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wrathful interrogator demands an immediate answer—‘Have you seen him?’—while the other figure counters with a calm, pointed question about Kubera’s purpose.

Characters & Entities

• Nandīśvara
• Rāvaṇa
• Kubera (Dhanada)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma begins with examining intention—before action, one must clarify purpose, especially in a sacred setting.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra sacred region (Kedārakhaṇḍa) is the narrative arena, underscoring dhārmic conduct in tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse highlights inquiry and accountability rather than ritual practice.