Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 112

Devanagari script

प्रहस्यावाङ्मुखो भूत्वा इद माह शतक्रतुम् । त्वं हि राजा सुरेंद्राणां स्थविरो राज्यलंपटः

Transliteration

prahasyāvāṅmukho bhūtvā ida māha śatakratum | tvaṃ hi rājā sureṃdrāṇāṃ sthaviro rājyalaṃpaṭaḥ

Translation

Sorrindo, com o rosto inclinado, disse assim a Śatakratu (Indra): “Tu és o rei dos deuses—mas, já envelhecido, ainda cobiças a soberania.”

Word by Word

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• प्रहस्य: Kriya (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): ‘having laughed’

• अवाङ्मुखः: with face turned downward
• अवाङ्मुखः: Karta (Subject attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवाङ्+मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): ‘having become’

• इदम्: this (speech/statement)
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• शतक्रतुम्: Śatakratu (Indra)
• शतक्रतुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतक्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; इन्द्रस्य उपाधि

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Sambodhana/Prayojya (Addressed person)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सुरेन्द्राणाम्: of the lords of gods (chief gods)
• सुरेन्द्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• स्थविरः: elder; senior
• स्थविरः: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थविर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• राज्यलंपटः: greedy for kingship
• राज्यलंपटः: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज्य+लंपट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Yama (Pretarāṭ), inferred from the immediately preceding verse

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yama smiles with restrained irony, eyes lowered, addressing Indra—who stands humbled, crown slightly tilted, realizing the sting of truth about his greed for rule.

Characters & Entities

• Yama (Pretarāṭ)
• Indra (Śatakratu)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even high status can be undermined by attachment; dharma calls for humility and restraint, not craving for dominion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Kedāra-centered glorification, though this verse focuses on ethical instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a dharma-teaching about the danger of greed for rulership.