Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

बलिः प्रवर्तितस्तेन शक्रेण सुरसूदनः । उवाच शक्रं त्वरितः केनेदं मथनं भवेत्

Transliteration

baliḥ pravartitastena śakreṇa surasūdanaḥ | uvāca śakraṃ tvaritaḥ kenedaṃ mathanaṃ bhavet

Translation

เมื่อถูกศักระ (อินทรา)เร้าใจ พาลี—ผู้ปราบเหล่าเทวะ—รีบกล่าวแก่ศักระว่า “การมัถนะนี้จักกระทำได้ด้วยวิธีใด?”

Word by Word

• बलिः: Bali
• बलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रवर्तितः: urged, prompted
• प्रवर्तितः: Kriya (State predicate/भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिजन्त-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (causative past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'set in motion/urged'

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Agent-in-instrumental/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (by him)

• शक्रेण: by Indra
• शक्रेण: Karana (Agent-in-instrumental/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (by Śakra/Indra)

• सुरसूदनः: slayer of the gods
• सुरसूदनः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: सुरान् सूदयति (slayer of gods)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शक्रम्: to Indra
• शक्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बोधित-व्यक्ति (object of speech)

• त्वरितः: hastily
• त्वरितः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-कृदन्त from त्वर्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (hastened)

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन; प्रश्न (by whom/with what)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; 'this' (refers to churning)

• मथनम्: churning
• मथनम्: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथ् (धातु) + ल्युट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियावाचक-नाम (churning)

• भवेत्: could happen/should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Bali

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bali, stirred by Indra’s urging, responds swiftly and asks the practical question: by what means can the churning be done?

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Śakra (Indra)
• Devas
• Asuras/Daityas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even powerful beings must seek proper method and cooperation; success depends on right planning aligned with purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra sacred landscape frames the narration, but this verse focuses on the planning of Samudra Manthana rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a strategic inquiry about how to perform the churning.