Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

ऐरावतमगस्त्याय प्रददौ शिववल्लभः । विश्वामित्राय कितवो ददौ हयमुदारधीः

Transliteration

airāvatamagastyāya pradadau śivavallabhaḥ | viśvāmitrāya kitavo dadau hayamudāradhīḥ

Translation

சிவனுக்குப் பிரியமானவன் அகஸ்தியருக்கு ஐராவதத்தைத் தானமாக அளித்தான். உதார மனத்தையுடைய கிதவன் விஸ்வாமித்ரருக்கு ஒரு குதிரையைக் கொடுத்தான்।

Word by Word

• ऐरावतम्: Airāvata (the elephant)
• ऐरावतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐरावत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• अगस्त्याय: to Agastya
• अगस्त्याय: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular

• प्रददौ: gave
• प्रददौ: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Perfect, 3rd person singular, active

• शिववल्लभः: Śiva’s beloved
• शिववल्लभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: शिवस्य वल्लभः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• विश्वामित्राय: to Viśvāmitra
• विश्वामित्राय: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वामित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular

• कितवः: the gambler (Kitava)
• कितवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कितव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Perfect, 3rd person singular, active

• हयम्: a horse
• हयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• उदारधीः: of noble intellect
• उदारधीः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदार + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः कर्मधारयः (उदारा धीः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (qualifying the subject)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience of the Kedārakhaṇḍa narration (not explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kitava, called ‘Śiva’s beloved’, ceremonially offers the divine elephant Airāvata to Agastya and a noble horse to Viśvāmitra; sages receive with blessing gestures.

Characters & Entities

• Airāvata
• Agastya
• Kitava
• Viśvāmitra
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True greatness expresses itself as generous dāna offered to revered ṛṣis, not as hoarding celestial wealth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s section provides the devotional frame, highlighting Śiva-favor leading to dharmic generosity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna to sages—specifically gifting valuable possessions as an act of dharma.