Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

महाननर्थो भविता पांडवानां ततः स्फुटम् । तस्माद्गृहाण त्वं भस्म सोपि चक्रे तथो वचः

Transliteration

mahānanartho bhavitā pāṃḍavānāṃ tataḥ sphuṭam | tasmādgṛhāṇa tvaṃ bhasma sopi cakre tatho vacaḥ

Translation

ततः पाण्डवानां स्फुटं महान् अनर्थो भविता। तस्माद् त्वं भस्म गृहाण—इति; सोऽपि तद्वचः चक्रे।

Word by Word

• mahān: great
• mahān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• anarthaḥ: misfortune/disaster
• anarthaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• bhavitā: will be
• bhavitā: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• pāṇḍavānām: for/of the Pāṇḍavas
• pāṇḍavānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇḍava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• tataḥ: therefore/then
• tataḥ: Desha-Kala (Adverbial/देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• sphuṭam: clearly
• sphuṭam: Desha-Kala (Adverbial/देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sphuṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• tasmāt: therefore/from that
• tasmāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tasmāt (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक tad)
• Form: अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• gṛhāṇa: take/accept
• gṛhāṇa: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• bhasma: ashes
• bhasma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle); अपि = also/even

• cakre: did/made
• cakre: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tathā: thus
• tathā: Desha-Kala (Adverbial/देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• vacaḥ: word(s)/speech
• vacaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Devāḥ (the gods)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine speaker warns that a clear calamity will strike the Pāṇḍavas; the instruction is given—'take this ash'—and the recipient immediately complies, showing decisive action.

Characters & Entities

• Devāḥ
• Pāṇḍava
• Bhasma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is protected through right stewardship; divine guidance may redirect even sacred power away from harmful outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No explicit tīrtha is identified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is stated; the instruction concerns accepting and safeguarding bhasma.