Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

षोडशप्रकृतीस्तेन याथातथ्येन धीमता । सर्वे देवा यथार्थेन कृता वै विश्वकर्मणा

Transliteration

ṣoḍaśaprakṛtīstena yāthātathyena dhīmatā | sarve devā yathārthena kṛtā vai viśvakarmaṇā

Translation

وصاغ الحكيمُ المبادئَ الستةَ عشرَ للتكوين على وجه المطابقة التامّة؛ حقًّا إنّ جميع الآلهة قد صنعهم فيشفاكَرمان (Viśvakarman) كما هم في حقيقتهم.

Word by Word

• षोडशप्रकृतीः: the sixteen prakṛtis/principles
• षोडशप्रकृतीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षोडश + प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (षोडश प्रकृतयः = sixteen natures/principles)

• तेन: by him/with him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• याथातथ्येन: in proper order / as is fitting
• याथातथ्येन: Karana (Manner/Instrumental of manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याथातथ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (यथा + तथ्यम् → याथातथ्य = ‘as it truly is’, ‘in due order’)

• धीमता: by the wise one
• धीमता: Kartr-karana (Agent described; instrumental)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तेन इत्यस्य)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यथार्थेन: truly, in reality
• यथार्थेन: Karana (Manner/Instrumental of manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यथार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (यथा + अर्थः → ‘according to the true meaning/reality’)

• कृताः: were made/created
• कृताः: Karta (Predicate adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; (देवाः इत्यस्य विशेषण/विधेय)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक (particle: indeed)

• विश्वकर्मणा: by Viśvakarman
• विश्वकर्मणा: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विश्वस्य कर्मा = Viśvakarman)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (contextual attribution within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viśvakarman, the divine architect, is implied as crafting the sixteen constituents with exactness—visualize a cosmic workshop where subtle principles take form as luminous symbols around a sacred center.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvakarman
• Deva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred space is portrayed as aligned with cosmic truth—devotion is strengthened when the tīrtha is seen as a microcosm of the universe.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra, whose sanctity is expressed through cosmological completeness in the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes metaphysical and symbolic completeness.