Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

स एवादौ रजोरूपं सृष्ट्वा ब्रह्माणमात्मना । सृष्टिकर्मनियुक्ताय तस्मै वेदांश्च दत्तवान्

Transliteration

sa evādau rajorūpaṃ sṛṣṭvā brahmāṇamātmanā | sṛṣṭikarmaniyuktāya tasmai vedāṃśca dattavān

Translation

هو وحده في البدء أوجد براهما (Brahmā) في هيئة الرَّجَس (rajas) بقدرته الذاتية؛ ولمن عيّنه لعمل الخلق منح الفيدات (Vedas).

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन (locative: in the beginning)

• रजोरूपम्: a form of rajas
• रजोरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् + रूप (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘रजसः रूपम्’ (form of rajas)

• सृष्ट्वा: having created
• सृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); ‘सृष्ट्वा’ = सृजित्वा (having created)

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• आत्मना: by himself
• आत्मना: Karana (Instrument/Agency/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचन

• सृष्टिकर्मनियुक्ताय: to (him) appointed for the act of creation
• सृष्टिकर्मनियुक्ताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृष्टि + कर्मन् + नियुक्त (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative); एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘सृष्टेः कर्मणि नियुक्तः’ (appointed to the work of creation)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचन

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन

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

• दत्तवान्: gave
• दत्तवान्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: कृत (क्तवत्, perfective past); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (one who has given)

Speaker

Muni (continuing instruction to the king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From the serene Śiva-light arises Brahmā, tinged with rajas (reddish-golden aura), receiving the Vedas as luminous scrolls/sounds; a cosmic lotus or subtle emergence motif may be used.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahmā
• Vedas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even creation and Vedic revelation are grounded in the supreme Lord; knowledge is given for dharmic order and cosmic function.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is on cosmic origins and scriptural transmission.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed, though the verse affirms the authority of the Vedas for dharma.