Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

लोका भस्मीकृता येन तस्माद्येनापि रक्षिताः । तस्यार्च्चनाविधिः कार्यो गणेशस्य महात्मनः

Transliteration

lokā bhasmīkṛtā yena tasmādyenāpi rakṣitāḥ | tasyārccanāvidhiḥ kāryo gaṇeśasya mahātmanaḥ

Translation

هو الذي أحرق العوالم حتى صارت رمادًا—وهو بعينه الذي، لذلك السبب نفسه، حماها أيضًا. فليُؤدَّ طقسُ العبادة على وجهه الصحيح لغانِيشا عظيمِ النفس.

Word by Word

• लोकाः: worlds/people
• लोकाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भस्मीकृताः: burnt to ashes
• भस्मीकृताः: Karma (Predicate adjective of 'lokāḥ')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्मी + कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'reduced to ashes'

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक

• तस्मात्: from him/therefore
• तस्मात्: Apādāna (Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी विभक्ति (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; 'from that (one)'

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: also/even)

• रक्षिताः: protected
• रक्षिताः: Karma (Predicate adjective; implied subject 'sarve/lokāḥ')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive: of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; पुं/नपुंसक

• अर्च्चनाविधिः: the procedure of worship
• अर्च्चनाविधिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्च्चना + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अर्च्चनायाः विधिः)

• कार्यः: should be performed
• कार्यः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (कृ धातु + यत्; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय विशेषण (gerundive: 'to be done/should be done')

• गणेशस्य: of Gaṇeśa
• गणेशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive: of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled
• महात्मनः: Viśeṣaṇa (Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'gaṇeśasya')

Speaker

Unknown (Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative voice; prescriptive conclusion in Kedāra context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vighneśvara/Gaṇeśa (as prerequisite deity within Kedāra rites)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual instruction scene: the assembly is told to perform Gaṇeśa’s worship; Gaṇeśa appears as majestic Vighneśvara, with symbols of both protection and fiery power subdued under his control.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇeśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The same divine power that can dissolve the cosmos also protects it; therefore one should approach Gaṇeśa with reverent worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra-khaṇḍa framework implies the Kedāra sacred region, but this verse chiefly glorifies Gaṇeśa and prescribes his worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of Gaṇeśa’s arcana-vidhi (a formal method of worship) is explicitly enjoined.