Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

। लोमश उवाच । कर्मणा परिभूतो हि महेंद्रो गुरुमब्रवीत् । विना यत्नेन संक्लेसात्तर्तुं कर्म्म किमुच्यताम्

Transliteration

| lomaśa uvāca | karmaṇā paribhūto hi maheṃdro gurumabravīt | vinā yatnena saṃklesāttartuṃ karmma kimucyatām

Translation

লোমশ ক’লে: নিজ কৰ্মৰ বলত পৰাভূত মহেন্দ্ৰ (ইন্দ্ৰ) গুৰুক ক’লে—“অতি চেষ্টা আৰু ক্লেশ নকৰাকৈ এই কৰ্ম-দুঃখৰ পৰা পাৰ হ’বলৈ কোন উপায় কোৱা হয়?”

Word by Word

• लोमशः: Lomaśa
• लोमशः: Karta (वक्ता/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोमश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• कर्मणा: by karma (by action/deed)
• कर्मणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• परिभूतः: overpowered/defeated
• परिभूतः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमनाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-भू (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• महेंद्रः: Mahendra (Indra)
• महेंद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेंद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• गुरुम्: the teacher
• गुरुम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय/पूर्वपद-निषेध (preposition-like indeclinable), ‘without’ अर्थे; तृतीया-संबन्धः

• यत्नेन: by effort
• यत्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• संक्लेसात्: from distress/affliction
• संक्लेसात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• तर्तुम्: to cross/overcome
• तर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitival purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive), ‘to cross/overcome’ अर्थे

• कर्म: karma (deed/fate)
• कर्म: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• उच्यताम्: let it be said/told
• उच्यताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘let it be said’

Speaker

Lomaśa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, weighed down by unseen karmic force, bows or turns toward Bṛhaspati in a celestial hall; the mood is grave, with dimmed splendor of Amarāvatī and a sense of impending departure.

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Indra (Mahendra)
• Guru (Bṛhaspati, implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When karma ripens into suffering, one should seek the guidance of a guru and ask for a dharmic path of release.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Kedārakhaṇḍa (Kedāra sacred region), though this verse is a dialogue setup rather than direct tīrtha praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is mentioned here; it introduces the search for a means to overcome karmic distress.