Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 112

Devanagari script

आकारेण जगत्सष्टिस्तथानुग्रह एव च । प्रलयस्याधिकारं च लोकचित्रप्रवर्तनम्

Transliteration

ākāreṇa jagatsaṣṭistathānugraha eva ca | pralayasyādhikāraṃ ca lokacitrapravartanam

Translation

خلقُ الكون بمجرد الصورة أو القصد، ومنحُ النعمة أيضًا؛ والسلطانُ حتى على البرالايا (الانحلال)؛ وتحريكُ العجائب والتمثّلات في العوالم—فهذه هي القوى المعدودة.

Word by Word

• आकारेण: by form; through a form
• आकारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental singular

• जगत्सृष्टिः: creation of the world
• जगत्सृष्टिः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘जगतः सृष्टिः’

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/रीतिवाचक) — indeclinable ‘also/likewise’

• अनुग्रहः: favor; grace
• अनुग्रहः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative singular

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

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

• प्रलयस्य: of dissolution
• प्रलयस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — Masculine, Genitive singular

• अधिकारम्: authority; jurisdiction
• अधिकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative singular

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

• लोकचित्रप्रवर्तनम्: setting in motion the world’s manifold activity
• लोकचित्रप्रवर्तनम्: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + चित्र + प्रवर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘लोकस्य चित्र-प्रवर्तनम्’ (causing the manifold/variegated activity of the world)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: from a luminous silhouette (mere ‘ākāra’/intention) emerges a universe; a hand of grace descends (anugraha); a dissolving wave consumes worlds (pralaya) under calm authority; and within worlds, miraculous ‘loka-citra’ scenes unfold like moving murals.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When yoga mimics cosmic functions, the teaching implicitly contrasts finite power with true divine sovereignty and urges aspiration toward liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred place is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse continues the description of siddhi categories.