Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

सुरास्तत्रैव समरे प्रेक्षकाह्यभवंस्तदा । तयोर्भेरीमृदंगाश्च पटहानकगोमुखाः

Transliteration

surāstatraiva samare prekṣakāhyabhavaṃstadā | tayorbherīmṛdaṃgāśca paṭahānakagomukhāḥ

Translation

तत्रैव समरे सुराः प्रेक्षकाः अभवन्; तयोर्भेरी-मृदङ्ग-पटह-आनक-गोमुखाः समनादयन्।

Word by Word

• सुराः: the gods
• सुराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (restrictive particle)

• समरे: in the battle
• समरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्रेक्षकाः: spectators
• प्रेक्षकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• अभवन्: became/were
• अभवन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• तयोः: of the two
• तयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• भेरीमृदङ्गाः: kettledrums and mṛdaṅgas
• भेरीमृदङ्गाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेरी + मृदङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक-द्वन्द्व)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• पटह: kettledrums
• पटह: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पटह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्वे समस्तपदेऽन्तर्भूत)

• आनक: war-drums
• आनक: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्वे समस्तपदेऽन्तर्भूत)

• गोमुखाः: gomukha-horns (cow-faced horns)
• गोमुखाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमुख (प्रातिपदिक: गो + मुख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas hover as spectators while a ring of musicians beats bherīs and mṛdaṅgas; paṭaha, ānaka, and gomukha horns punctuate the air around the dueling pair.

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When divine power is fully engaged, even the gods stand witness—highlighting the awe-inspiring sovereignty of Śiva’s forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra (Kedārakhaṇḍa) provides the sacred setting; the verse itself spotlights the cosmic spectacle rather than a site’s merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.