Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

तथा कमठरूपेण धृतो वै मंदराचलः । वराहरूपमास्थाय हिरण्याक्षो हतस्त्वया

Transliteration

tathā kamaṭharūpeṇa dhṛto vai maṃdarācalaḥ | varāharūpamāsthāya hiraṇyākṣo hatastvayā

Translation

அதேபோல் கூர்மரூபம் கொண்டு நீ மந்தரமலையைத் தாங்கினாய்; வராஹரூபம் ஏற்று நீ ஹிரண்யாக்ஷனை வதைத்தாய்।

Word by Word

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध-क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: 'thus/in that way')

• कमठ-रूपेण: in the form of a tortoise
• कमठ-रूपेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamaṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कमठस्य रूपम्) → 'कमाṭharūpa'

• धृतः: held; supported
• धृतः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे 'was held/supported'

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• मन्दर-अचलः: Mandara mountain
• मन्दर-अचलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mandara (प्रातिपदिक) + acala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (मन्दरः अचलः)

• वराह-रूपम्: the boar-form
• वराह-रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varāha (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वराहस्य रूपम्)

• आस्थाय: having assumed
• आस्थाय: Sambandha (Gerund/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; त्वान्त (क्त्वा) अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having assumed/taken)

• हिरण्याक्षः: Hiraṇyākṣa
• हिरण्याक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hiraṇyākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हतः: was slain
• हतः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे 'was slain'

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr̥ (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Devas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotional tableau: Viṣṇu as Kūrma supporting Mandarācala during the churning of the ocean, and Viṣṇu as Varāha lifting the earth and slaying Hiraṇyākṣa—presented as remembered visions while devas pray in the Himalayan sacred setting.

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma (Kamaṭha)
• Mandarācala
• Varāha
• Hiraṇyākṣa
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When the cosmos is threatened, the Lord takes appropriate forms to stabilize creation and restore righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra region frames the discourse, while the verse itself recalls pan-Purāṇic avatāra deeds rather than a single local shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a remembrance (smaraṇa) of avatāra-līlā used in devotional praise.