Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

तान्दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय यमो धर्मभृतां वरः । पूजयामास तान्सर्वान्महेंद्रप्रतिमांस्तदा

Transliteration

tāndṛṣṭvā sahasotthāya yamo dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ | pūjayāmāsa tānsarvānmaheṃdrapratimāṃstadā

Translation

ครั้นเห็นพวกเขา ยมผู้เป็นยอดแห่งผู้ทรงธรรมก็ลุกขึ้นโดยพลัน แล้วบูชาพวกเขาทั้งหมด ผู้สว่างไสวดุจมหेंद्र (อินทรา)

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (accusative plural, masc.)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive: having seen)

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: suddenly)

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत् + स्था (धातु) → उत्थाय (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund: having risen)

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (nominative singular, masc.)

• धर्मभृताम्: of the upholders of dharma
• धर्मभृताम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + भृत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मं भृतः) (genitive plural, masc.)

• वरः: the best
• वरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; यमस्य विशेषणम् (nominative singular, masc.)

• पूजयामास: worshipped/honored
• पूजयामास: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परिपूर्णभूतार्थे (perfect, 3rd person sg.)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (accusative plural, masc.)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्; तान् इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (accusative plural, masc.)

• महेंद्रप्रतिमान्: like Mahendra (Indra)
• महेंद्रप्रतिमान्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेंद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्; उपमान-तत्पुरुषः (महेंद्रस्य प्रतिमाः इव) (accusative plural, masc.)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: then)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yama rises instantly from his seat, hands joined, offering worship to the radiant bull-mounted Śiva emissaries who shine like Indra.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Śiva-dūtas
• Mahendra (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma includes reverence: even cosmic judges honor the higher divine mandate of Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra setting remains the narrative frame, reinforcing Shaiva sanctity tied to that region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the act shown is pūjā/ honoring as exemplary conduct.