Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

शिरोधिरुह्य शम्भोश्च घण्टामादातुमुद्यतः । तावत्कैलासशिखरे शंभुः प्रोवाच किंकरान्

Transliteration

śirodhiruhya śambhośca ghaṇṭāmādātumudyataḥ | tāvatkailāsaśikhare śaṃbhuḥ provāca kiṃkarān

Translation

Hắn trèo lên đỉnh (liṅga) của Śambhu, toan lấy chiếc chuông. Ngay lúc ấy, trên đỉnh Kailāsa, Śambhu phán bảo các tùy tùng của Ngài.

Word by Word

• śirasi: on the head
• śirasi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• adhiruhya: having climbed upon
• adhiruhya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhi-√ruh (रुह्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• śambhoḥ: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• śambhoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• ghaṇṭām: bell
• ghaṇṭām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghaṇṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ādātum: to take away
• ādātum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√dā (दा)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), अव्ययभाव

• udyataḥ: ready, intent
• udyataḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udyata (कृदन्त; ud-√yam यम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त/विशेषणार्थ (ready/raised)

• tāvat: just then
• tāvat: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/कालवाचक अव्यय (‘meanwhile/just then’)

• kailāsa-śikhare: on the peak of Kailāsa
• kailāsa-śikhare: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kailāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + śikhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘कैलासस्य शिखरम्’)

• śaṃbhuḥ: Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• provāca: said, spoke
• provāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vac (वच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kiṃkarān: servants, attendants
• kiṃkarān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa) describing events; Śiva speaks to the gaṇas within the verse

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra liṅga precinct; Kailāsa as cosmic reference

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside the sanctum at night: the man climbs onto the liṅga’s top, reaching for the hanging bell; simultaneously, a cutaway vision shows Śiva on Kailāsa addressing His gaṇas.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Kailāsa
• kiṃkara (gaṇa attendants)
• ghaṇṭā (bell)
• liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when approached with flawed intent, Śiva’s awareness and sovereignty remain; divine intervention can redirect a soul toward grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra-khaṇḍa setting frames the Kedāra/Kedārnātha sacred landscape, while the verse explicitly mentions Kailāsa as Śiva’s divine abode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; the verse advances the narrative that leads into teachings on devotion.