Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

शिवस्य पुरतो बाल्याद्गीतं च स्वस्वर्जितम् । अकार्षं सकृदेवाहं बाल्ये शिशुगणावृतः

Transliteration

śivasya purato bālyādgītaṃ ca svasvarjitam | akārṣaṃ sakṛdevāhaṃ bālye śiśugaṇāvṛtaḥ

Translation

ตั้งแต่วัยเยาว์ ต่อหน้าพระศิวะโดยตรง ข้าพเจ้าเคยขับร้องบทเพลงด้วยเสียงของตนเองเพียงครั้งหนึ่ง ในยามเป็นเด็กและมีหมู่เด็กห้อมล้อม ข้าพเจ้าทำเช่นนั้นแค่ครั้งเดียวนั้น

Word by Word

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुरतः: in front of
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्गसदृश/पूर्वस्थानवाचक; adverb/postposition ‘in front of’)

• बाल्यात्: from childhood
• बाल्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गीतम्: song/singing
• गीतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक; √गै/गाय् → गीत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

• स्वस्वरजितम्: set/produced in my own notes
• स्वस्वरजितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + स्वर + जित (प्रातिपदिक; √जि)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (जित), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘own-notes-conquered/produced’ (i.e., in one’s own tune)

• अकार्षम्: I did/performed
• अकार्षम्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (भूतकाल/Imperfect), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (काल/आवृत्तिवाचक adverb: once)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण particle)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बाल्ये: in childhood
• बाल्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• शिशुगणावृतः: surrounded by children
• शिशुगणावृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिशु + गण + आवृत (प्रातिपदिक; आ+√वृ)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (आवृत), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (surrounded by a group of children)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating a past-life account (contextual deduction within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jāgeśvara (liṅga)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A King (nṛpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A boy, encircled by other children, sings in his own voice before the liṅga; the shrine is modest, lit by a few lamps, with flowers still present from worship; faces show wonder and devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a single, simple act of devotion—like singing before Śiva—can bear lasting spiritual fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is named; the verse emphasizes devotion performed directly before Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Singing (gīta) in Śiva’s presence is mentioned as a devotional act; no formal rite is detailed.