Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा तदा तां गगने समीरितां तदैव वाचं प्रमथैः परीतः । कुमारकस्तं प्रति हंतुकामो दैत्याधिपं तारकमुग्ररूपम्

Transliteration

śrutvā tadā tāṃ gagane samīritāṃ tadaiva vācaṃ pramathaiḥ parītaḥ | kumārakastaṃ prati haṃtukāmo daityādhipaṃ tārakamugrarūpam

Translation

Тогда, услышав тот голос, прозвучавший в небесах, и будучи окружён Праматхами, юный Кумара, жаждущий поразить врага, двинулся на Тараку — грозного владыку дайтьев.

Word by Word

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): 'having heard'

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक

• tām: that (voice/speech)
• tām: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• gagane: in the sky
• gagane: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gagana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• samīritām: uttered/spoken
• samīritām: Karman (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + īr (ईर्/ईरय् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of tām/vācam)

• tadaiva: just then
• tadaiva: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय) + eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययसमूह; कालवाचक + अवधारण (immediately/just then)

• vācam: speech/voice
• vācam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pramathaiḥ: by/with the Pramathas
• pramathaiḥ: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramatha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• parītaḥ: surrounded
• parītaḥ: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari + i (इ धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of kumārakaḥ): 'surrounded'

• kumārakaḥ: the young Kumāra
• kumārakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tam: him
• tam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• prati: towards/against
• prati: Sambandha (Directional relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/पूर्वसर्गवत्, दिशार्थ (preposition: 'towards/against')

• hantukāmaḥ: desiring to kill
• hantukāmaḥ: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: han (हन् धातु) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तुमुन्-अर्थे काम-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of kumārakaḥ)

• daityādhipam: lord of the Daityas
• daityādhipam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: 'daityānām adhipaḥ'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tārakam: Tāraka
• tārakam: Karman (Apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दैत्याधिपस्य विशेष्य-समनाधिकरण (appositional)

• ugrarūpam: of fierce form
• ugrarūpam: Karman (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('ugraṃ rūpaṃ yasya/ugraṃ rūpam'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of tārakam/daityādhipam)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedārakṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kumāra, youthful yet radiant, advances toward the terrifying Tāraka; around him swirl the Pramathas—Śiva’s gaṇas—armed and roaring; the sky still glows with the afterlight of the heavenly proclamation.

Characters & Entities

• Kumāra (Skanda)
• Tāraka
• Pramathas
• Daityas
• Ākāśavāṇī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When divine purpose is confirmed, one should act decisively—guided by dharma and supported by the Lord’s forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is within Kedāra Khaṇḍa, but the verse emphasizes Skanda’s mission rather than a pilgrimage instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.