Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

एवमात्मभवं कृत्वा जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् । लोकानां तु हितार्थाय स्थापयेद्धर्मपद्धतिम्

Transliteration

evamātmabhavaṃ kṛtvā jagatsthāvarajaṅgamam | lokānāṃ tu hitārthāya sthāpayeddharmapaddhatim

Translation

So, nachdem Er aus Sich selbst die Welt des Unbewegten und des Bewegten hervorgebracht hat, richtet Er zum Wohle aller Wesen den Pfad und die Ordnung des Dharma auf.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• आत्मभवम्: one’s own origin/being
• आत्मभवम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः भवः)

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Kriyā (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• स्थावरजङ्गमम्: immobile and mobile (beings)
• स्थावरजङ्गमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of जगत्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थावर + जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (स्थावरं च जङ्गमं च)

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds/people
• लोकानाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• हितार्थाय: for the sake of welfare
• हितार्थाय: Sampradāna (Purpose/beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (हितस्य अर्थः)

• स्थापयेत्: should establish
• स्थापयेत्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था + णिच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धर्मपद्धतिम्: the system/path of dharma
• धर्मपद्धतिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + पद्धति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य पद्धतिः)

Speaker

Deductive: Purāṇic narrator (likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa) within Revā Khaṇḍa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic creator-deity emanates the worlds of sthāvara and jaṅgama; beneath, sages and beings receive an ordered ‘dharma-path’ depicted as a luminous road or scripture-stream.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma (as principle)
• Sūrya (implicit as the praised agent)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power is not only creative but dharma-establishing; the purpose of cosmic order is the welfare of beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is directly named; the verse provides the ethical framework that pilgrimage narratives aim to cultivate.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; it emphasizes living in alignment with dharma as the intended fruit of devotion.