Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

सशङ्खचक्रासिधरः किरीटी सवेदवेदाङ्गमयो महात्मा । त्रैलोक्यनिर्माणकरः पुराणो देवत्रयीरूपधरश्च कार्ये

Transliteration

saśaṅkhacakrāsidharaḥ kirīṭī savedavedāṅgamayo mahātmā | trailokyanirmāṇakaraḥ purāṇo devatrayīrūpadharaśca kārye

Translation

متوَّجًا وحاملًا الصدفةَ والقرصَ والسيف، ذلك الربُّ العظيمُ النفس مُتكوِّنٌ من الفيدات وملحقاتها. ذلك الأزليّ، صانعُ العوالم الثلاثة، إذا كان هناك عملٌ يُنجَز، اتخذ صورَ الثالوث الإلهي: براهما وفيشنو ورودرا.

Word by Word

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शङ्ख: conch
• शङ्ख: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (अगले समास में)

• चक्र: discus
• चक्र: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (अगले समास में)

• असि: sword
• असि: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (अगले समास में)

• धरः: bearer (of conch, discus, and sword)
• धरः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: शङ्ख-चक्र-असि-धर (उपपद-तत्पुरुष; ‘एतानि धरति’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• किरीटी: crowned
• किरीटी: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किरीटिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘किरीटवान्’

• स: with/possessing
• स: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (समासपूर्वपद)

• वेद: Veda
• वेद: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• वेदाङ्ग: limbs of the Veda (Vedāṅgas)
• वेदाङ्ग: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य अङ्गम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• मयः: consisting of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas
• मयः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: स-वेद-वेदाङ्ग-मय (तत्पुरुष; ‘वेदवेदाङ्गैः मयः/पूर्णः’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• महात्मा: great-souled one
• महात्मा: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• त्रैलोक्य: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्य: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (त्रयः लोकाः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• निर्माण: creation/construction
• निर्माण: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्माण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• करः: creator of the three worlds
• करः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: त्रैलोक्य-निर्माण-कर (तत्पुरुष; ‘निर्माणं करोति’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पुराणः: ancient
• पुराणः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• देवत्रयी: the triad of gods
• देवत्रयी: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां त्रयी); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• रूप: form
• रूप: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• धरः: bearer of the form of the divine triad
• धरः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: देवत्रयी-रूप-धर (तत्पुरुष; ‘रूपं धरति’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) = conjunction

• कार्ये: in the task/at the task
• कार्ये: Adhikarana (Domain/विषयाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण/विषय

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) [deduced: Āvantya-khaṇḍa narrative style]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha-mahātmya setting (contextual)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A crowned Lord bearing conch, discus, and sword; his body is envisioned as the Vedas and Vedāṅgas; he is the ancient maker of the three worlds, taking on the triad’s forms when action is required.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Brahmā
• Rudra
• Vedas
• Vedāṅgas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme Lord is one, yet appears as the Trimūrti to accomplish cosmic functions; sectarian division is discouraged.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is doctrinal within the Revā-khaṇḍa setting; the broader context is the sanctity of the Revā (Narmadā) region rather than a single named tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed here; it establishes theology supporting reverence without rivalry among divine forms.