Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा तदा रुद्रो ब्रह्मणा सहितः सुरैः । ययौ कनखलं तीर्थं यज्ञवाटं प्रजापतेः

Transliteration

evamuktvā tadā rudro brahmaṇā sahitaḥ suraiḥ | yayau kanakhalaṃ tīrthaṃ yajñavāṭaṃ prajāpateḥ

Translation

Сказав так, Рудра, вместе с Брахмой и богами, отправился к тиртхе Канакхала, к жертвенному двору Праджапати (Дакши).

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (manner adverb: ‘thus’)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त्वा (क्त्वान्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्तम् (absolutive/gerund: ‘having said’)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb: ‘then’)

• रुद्रः: Rudra (Śiva)
• रुद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• ब्रह्मणा: with Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental singular; सहार्थे)

• सहितः: accompanied (together)
• सहितः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + इ (धातु) → सहित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः, पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सह’ अर्थे (accompanied)

• सुरैः: with the gods
• सुरैः: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural; सहार्थे)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• कनखलम्: to Kanakhala
• कनखलम्: Gati-karma (Goal/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनखल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular; देश/स्थान)

• तीर्थम्: (the) sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Gati-karma (Goal/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular; apposition to place)

• यज्ञवाटम्: the sacrificial enclosure
• यज्ञवाटम्: Gati-karma (Goal/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + वाट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• प्रजापतेः: of Prajāpati (Dakṣa)
• प्रजापतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition, implied)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kanakhala (Kankhal) tīrtha

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine procession: Rudra, composed yet formidable, travels with Brahmā and the devas toward Kanakhala, where Dakṣa’s sacrificial enclosure lies—smoke, banners, and the distant yajña ground foreshadow confrontation.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra/Śiva
• Brahmā
• Devas
• Kanakhala Tīrtha
• Prajāpati Dakṣa
• Yajñavāṭa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine discourse culminates in sacred movement: pilgrimage spaces (tīrthas) become stages where dharma is restored and lessons are enacted.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Kanakhala Tīrtha is explicitly named, associated with Dakṣa’s sacrificial arena.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse situates the narrative at the yajñavāṭa (sacrificial ground), implying the ritual context of yajña.