Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अर्थशास्त्रपरो भूत्वा महेंद्रो दुरातिक्रमः । दैत्यानां कालरूपोऽसौ शचीपतिरुदारधीः

Transliteration

arthaśāstraparo bhūtvā maheṃdro durātikramaḥ | daityānāṃ kālarūpo'sau śacīpatirudāradhīḥ

Translation

เมื่อมุ่งมั่นในอรรถศาสตร์และกลยุทธ์แห่งรัฐ มเหนทร์ก็ยากจะต้านทาน; สำหรับเหล่าไทตยะ เขาปรากฏดุจกาลเวลาเอง—พระสวามีแห่งศจี ผู้มีปณิธานสูงส่ง

Word by Word

• अर्थशास्त्रपरः: devoted to arthaśāstra
• अर्थशास्त्रपरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थशास्त्र-पर (प्रातिपदिक; घटकौ: अर्थशास्त्र + पर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (अर्थशास्त्रे परः = devoted to polity/arthaśāstra)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• महेंद्रः: Mahendra (Indra)
• महेंद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेंद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दुरातिक्रमः: hard to overcome
• दुरातिक्रमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्-आतिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक; घटकौ: दुर् + आतिक्रम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (दुर् + आतिक्रमः = hard to surpass)

• दैत्यानाम्: of the Daityas
• दैत्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कालरूपः: in the form of Time (as death)
• कालरूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; घटकौ: काल + रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (कालस्य रूपः)

• असौ: that one/he
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• शचीपतिः: husband of Śacī (Indra)
• शचीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची-पति (प्रातिपदिक; घटकौ: शची + पति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (शच्याः पतिः)

• उदारधीः: of noble intellect
• उदारधीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदार-धी (प्रातिपदिक; घटकौ: उदार + धी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः (उदारा धीः यस्य)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (overarching)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, sharpened by arthaśāstra-like stratagem, stands as an unstoppable force; to the asuras he appears like Kāla—inevitable, overwhelming, and majestic.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Mahendra, Śacīpati)
• Daityas
• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power and strategy can make a ruler seem like inexorable Time; therefore dharmic restraint is essential to prevent policy from becoming cruelty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it contributes to the broader Kedāra narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.