Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

एवं प्रक्षालयाने च पादौ तत्र वृकोदरे । उपरिस्थस्तदा प्राह सत्यं सुहृदयो वचः

Transliteration

evaṃ prakṣālayāne ca pādau tatra vṛkodare | uparisthastadā prāha satyaṃ suhṛdayo vacaḥ

Translation

Enquanto Vṛkodara lavava os pés ali, alguém que estava acima falou então—palavras verdadeiras, nascidas de boa vontade.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: “thus”)

• प्रक्षालयाने: while washing
• प्रक्षालयाने: Adhikaraṇa (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-क्षल् (धातु) + यान (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले (present participle); सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पादौ: (the) two feet
• पादौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; द्विवचन (Accusative dual)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place: “there”)

• वृकोदरे: O Vṛkodara (Bhīma)
• वृकोदरे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक-उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वृकस्य उदरम् इव); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन (Vocative/Locative form used as संबोधन here)

• उपरिस्थः: standing above/over (him)
• उपरिस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपरि-स्थ (धातु √स्था) (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘स्थित’; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal modifier/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: “then”)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सत्यम्: truly
• सत्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (indeclinable accusative used adverbially); सत्यार्थे (as “truly”)

• सुहृदयः: kind-hearted
• सुहृदयः: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (सुन्दरः हृदयः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• वचः: words/speech
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Accusative singular)

Speaker

An unidentified being/guardian (ūparistha) addressing Bhīma (deduced; later speaks directly)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Devī-kuṇḍa

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhīma (Vṛkodara) stands at a sacred pond washing his feet; from an elevated bank/step a temple-attendant or guardian figure addresses him with earnest, truth-bearing admonition; the pond glints as a Devī-tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛkodara (Bhīma)
• Devī-kuṇḍa (context implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are protected by unseen guardians; sincere admonition is a form of grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Devī-associated kuṇḍa, treated as a sanctum of divine presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The scene sets up a correction: washing in the kuṇḍa is improper, prompting a warning.