Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

एवं ज्ञात्वा विशालाक्षि कृपणं कृपणप्रियम् । तस्मात्त्वया हि कर्तव्यं वचनं मे सुमध्यमे

Transliteration

evaṃ jñātvā viśālākṣi kṛpaṇaṃ kṛpaṇapriyam | tasmāttvayā hi kartavyaṃ vacanaṃ me sumadhyame

Translation

హే విశాలాక్షి! నేను సరళహృదయుడను, సరళులకే ప్రియుడను అని తెలిసికొని; కాబట్టి హే సుమధ్యమే, నీవు తప్పక నా వచనాన్ని నెరవేర్చాలి।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/रीति-वाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriyā (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having known)

• विशालाक्षि: O large-eyed one
• विशालाक्षि: Sambodhana (Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाल + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; विशेषण-समास (one with large eyes)

• कृपणम्: a miserly/mean person
• कृपणम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण

• कृपणप्रियम्: dear to the miserly
• कृपणप्रियम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपण + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कृपणस्य प्रियः = dear to the miserly)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Logical connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थे/तस्मादर्थे (therefore/from that reason)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartā (Agent; expressed in instrumental with gerundive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); अवधान/निश्चयार्थक

• कर्तव्यम्: must be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidheyārtha (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्य-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य (gerundive/obligative adjective); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्तव्यता (to be done)

• वचनम्: a statement/word
• वचनम्: Karma (Object of obligation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (enclitic)

• सुमध्यमे: O slender-waisted one
• सुमध्यमे: Sambodhana (Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सु-मध्या = having a beautiful/slender waist)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (ṛṣis/śaunaka-lineage style implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, trident-bearing yet gentle, addresses Pārvatī with affectionate epithets, requesting compliance; the Himalayan Kedāra ambience subtly frames the intimacy.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Pārvatī (Viśālākṣī/Sumadhyamā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divinity is moved by guileless sincerity; loving speech and dharmic agreement are praised.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra sacred setting underlies the dialogue, linking Śiva’s grace to Kedāra’s māhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it is a relational-dharmic instruction to heed a righteous request.