Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

पूर्वं किल गुहो विद्वान्पुण्ये सारस्वते तटे । भूतप्रेतपिशाचानामाधिराज्येऽभ्यषिच्यत

Transliteration

pūrvaṃ kila guho vidvānpuṇye sārasvate taṭe | bhūtapretapiśācānāmādhirājye'bhyaṣicyata

Translation

往昔，智者古诃（Guha）在圣洁的萨拉斯瓦蒂河岸，受灌顶加持，被立为部多、饿鬼（preta）与毗舍遮（piśāca）之上主。

Word by Word

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: formerly)

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Sambandha (Evidential/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle: indeed/it is said)

• गुहः: Guha (Kārttikeya)
• गुहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• विद्वान्: wise, learned
• विद्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (विद्वस्-शब्दः)

• पुण्ये: holy
• पुण्ये: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सारस्वते: of Sarasvatī (river)
• सारस्वते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सारस्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (सरस्वत्याः सम्बन्धि)

• तटे: on the bank
• तटे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्

• भूत-प्रेत-पिशाचानाम्: of bhūtas, pretas, and piśācas
• भूत-प्रेत-पिशाचानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + प्रेत + पिशाच (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (भूताः च प्रेताः च पिशाचाः च)

• आधिराज्ये: in the overlordship/sovereignty
• आधिराज्ये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधिराज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्

• अभ्यषिच्यत: was anointed (installed)
• अभ्यषिच्यत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-षिच् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sārasvata taṭa (Sarasvatī tīra)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a luminous Sarasvatī bank, Guha (Skanda) is anointed in a consecration rite; around him stand bhūtas, pretas, and piśācas—no longer wild, but assembled as a disciplined retinue acknowledging his overlordship.

Characters & Entities

• Guha (Skanda/Kumāra)
• Sarasvatī River
• Bhūta
• Preta
• Piśāca

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine authority (Skanda/Guha) establishes order even among disruptive beings, showing dharma as cosmic governance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The holy bank (taṭa) of the Sarasvatī River is explicitly mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An abhiṣeka (consecratory anointing) is referenced as the act by which Guha was installed in overlordship.