Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

शिवरात्रितिथिः ख्याता सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी । अत्रैवोदाहरंतीममितिहासं पुरातनम्

Transliteration

śivarātritithiḥ khyātā sarvapāpapraṇāśinī | atraivodāharaṃtīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam

Translation

శివరాత్రి తిథి సర్వపాపనాశినిగా ప్రసిద్ధి పొందింది. ఇదే సందర్భంలో ఉదాహరణగా ఒక ప్రాచీన ఇతిహాసాన్ని నేను ఉటంకిస్తున్నాను.

Word by Word

• śivarātritithiḥ: the Śivarātri tithi
• śivarātritithiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva-rātri-tithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (śivasya rātriḥ; tasyāḥ tithiḥ)

• khyātā: is known/called
• khyātā: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: khyā (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्तः—भूतकर्मणि/क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः ‘प्रसिद्धा’ (known)

• sarvapāpapraṇāśinī: destroyer of all sins
• sarvapāpapraṇāśinī: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva-pāpa-praṇāśinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (sarvāṇi pāpāni praṇaśyanti yayā)

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—अवधारणार्थक (emphatic particle)

• udāharantī: (I/they) citing/relating
• udāharantī: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-ā-hṛ (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्तः—वर्तमानकाले शतृ (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• imam: this
• imam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; निर्देशार्थक-सर्वनाम

• itihāsam: legend/history
• itihāsam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: itihāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• purātanam: ancient
• purātanam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (itihāsam)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śivarātri-tithi (Mahāśivarātri)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A narrator pauses and gestures as if opening an ancient tale; behind him, a shadowed tableau hints at the forthcoming story—figures of a woman, a temple lamp, and the night of Śivarātri.

Characters & Entities

• Śivarātri

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śivarātri is proclaimed as a powerful purifier that can eradicate accumulated sin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra sacred region (Kedārakhaṇḍa context), where Śiva’s presence and observances are praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implied Śivarātri observance, further explained through an illustrative ancient narrative.