Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

वाक्प्रवृत्तिप्रदोद्गारे प्रयत्ने सर्वकर्मणाम् । आकंठसुरसंस्थानमुदानस्य प्रकीर्त्यते

Transliteration

vākpravṛttipradodgāre prayatne sarvakarmaṇām | ākaṃṭhasurasaṃsthānamudānasya prakīrtyate

Translation

يُقال إن أودانا (Udāna) هو المسؤول عن اندفاع الكلام إلى الخارج، وعن التجشؤ، وعن بذل الجهد في جميع الأعمال؛ ومقرّه موصوفٌ بأنه يمتدّ إلى الحلق وإلى العلوّ، ناحيةَ مقام الآلهة.

Word by Word

• vāk-pravṛtti-prada-udgāre: in speech-activity, giving (speech), and in belching
• vāk-pravṛtti-prada-udgāre: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāk (प्रातिपदिक) + pravṛtti (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक) + udgāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (वाक्प्रवृत्तेः प्रदः उद्गारः/उद्गारे)

• prayatne: in effort
• prayatne: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• sarva-karmaṇām: of all actions
• sarva-karmaṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: “of all actions”

• ā-kaṇṭha-sura-saṃsthānam: the seat (extending) up to the throat, in the chest/upper region
• ā-kaṇṭha-sura-saṃsthānam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ā (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + sura (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (आकण्ठं सुराणां/सुरस्य संस्थानम्)

• udānasya: of udāna (upward vital air)
• udānasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• prakīrtyate: is said/proclaimed
• prakīrtyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kīrt (कीर्त् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): “is proclaimed”

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee-yogin chanting; udāna depicted as a bright upward stream from chest to throat and head; subtle depiction of ‘deva-sthāna’ as luminous upper region; sound waves emerging as Sanskrit syllables.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Speech and effort are powered by udāna; therefore, disciplined speech and righteous exertion are forms of dharmic practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No pilgrimage site is mentioned; the focus is on the inner ‘upper’ current that enables speech and effort.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse supports vows of truthful speech and tapas through controlled exertion.