Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

तच्छत्वा वचनं तस्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः । वरयामास च तदा वरं लोकभयावहम्

Transliteration

tacchatvā vacanaṃ tasya brahmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ | varayāmāsa ca tadā varaṃ lokabhayāvaham

Translation

برہما، جو اعلیٰ ترین مُدبّر ہے، اس کے یہ کلمات سن کر اس نے تب ایک ایسا ور چنا جو جہانوں کے لیے دہشت کا سبب بننے والا تھا۔

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); having heard

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive, Singular

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• परमेष्ठिनः: of the Supreme Lord (Parameṣṭhin)
• परमेष्ठिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Genitive, Singular (ब्रह्मणः विशेषण/उपाधि)

• वरयामास: chose/asked for
• वरयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular; परस्मैपद; (वृ + यामास periphrastic perfect)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

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

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लोकभयावहम्: bringing fear to the worlds
• लोकभयावहम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक) + आवह (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक from आ-√वह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (लोकस्य भयम् आवहति इति)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced); narrative about Tāraka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience within Kedārakhaṇḍa frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tāraka, having heard Brahmā, selects a boon with a hard smile; the worlds seem to darken in anticipation; Brahmā remains composed, aware of cosmic law.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desires rooted in ego and domination create fear and disorder; dharma-oriented wishes uplift, while self-serving boons harm the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicit in this verse; it functions as plot within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s broader sacred geography of Kedāra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.