Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

अप्रधृष्यमनिर्देश्यमचिंत्याकारमीश्वरम् । रत्नसिंहासनारूढं प्रण नाम महामुनिः

Transliteration

apradhṛṣyamanirdeśyamaciṃtyākāramīśvaram | ratnasiṃhāsanārūḍhaṃ praṇa nāma mahāmuniḥ

Translation

Jenen Herrn—unbezwingbar, unbeschreiblich, von unvorstellbarer Gestalt—auf einem Juwelenthron sitzend: vor ihm verneigte sich der große Weise in ehrfürchtiger Huldigung.

Word by Word

• a-pradhṛṣyam: unassailable
• a-pradhṛṣyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pradhṛṣya (कृदन्त/विशेषण; √dhṛṣ धातु) with a- (नञ्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समासभावः; ‘unassailable’

• a-nirdeśyam: indescribable
• a-nirdeśyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirdeśya (कृदन्त/विशेषण; √diś धातु) with a- (नञ्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समासभावः; ‘indescribable/undefinable’

• a-ciṃtya-ākāram: of inconceivable form
• a-ciṃtya-ākāram: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-ciṃtya (कृदन्त; √cint धातु + नञ्) + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषभावः (अचिन्त्यः आकारः यस्य)

• īśvaram: the Lord
• īśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ratna-siṃhāsana-ārūḍham: seated upon a jeweled throne
• ratna-siṃhāsana-ārūḍham: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + siṃhāsana (प्रातिपदिक) + ārūḍha (कृदन्त, क्त; √ruh धातु with ā-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त ‘mounted’; तत्पुरुषः (रत्नमय- सिंहासने आरूढम्)

• praṇanāma: bowed down
• praṇanāma: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद, परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; ‘he bowed’

• mahā-muniḥ: the great sage
• mahā-muniḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् मुनिः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Brāhma Khaṇḍa framing)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A great sage stands with folded hands, then bows fully before the invincible Lord seated on a radiant jeweled throne. The deity’s form is luminous and slightly ineffable—edges softened by aura—suggesting ‘acintya’ beyond depiction.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Sanatkumāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Before the indescribable Absolute, the highest response is praṇāma—humble surrender and reverent devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse emphasizes theological awe and the act of bowing to Īśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (bowing/prostration) is exemplified as a devotional act, though no formal rite is prescribed.