Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । भगवन्देवदेवेश सृष्टिसंहारकारक । गुणातीतो गुणैर्युक्तो मुक्तीनां साधनं परम्

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | bhagavandevadeveśa sṛṣṭisaṃhārakāraka | guṇātīto guṇairyukto muktīnāṃ sādhanaṃ param

Translation

Nārada sprach: „O seliger Herr, Gott der Götter, Urheber von Schöpfung und Auflösung: obgleich du die Guṇas übersteigst, offenbarst du dich doch durch die Guṇas; du bist das höchste Mittel zur Befreiung.“

Word by Word

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• भगवन्: O Blessed Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• देवदेवेश: O Lord of the gods of gods
• देवदेवेश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः; तेषां ईशः)

• सृष्टिसंहारकारक: O maker of creation and dissolution
• सृष्टिसंहारकारक: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + संहार (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सृष्टेः संहारस्य च कारकः)

• गुणातीतः: beyond the guṇas
• गुणातीतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अतीत (कृदन्त-क्त, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष (गुणेभ्यः अतीतः)

• गुणैः: with qualities
• गुणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• युक्तः: endowed
• युक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘endowed/connected’

• मुक्तीनाम्: of liberations
• मुक्तीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• साधनम्: means
• साधनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (साधनम्)

Speaker

Nārada

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Īśvara (addressed as Devadeveśa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada in reverent posture addressing the Supreme Lord—depicted as radiant, cosmic, embodying creation and dissolution while serene beyond qualities; a contemplative court of sages.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Devadeveśa (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme transcends nature’s qualities yet operates through them, making divine realization the highest path to mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it introduces a theological dialogue within the Dharmāraṇya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it frames devotion/knowledge of the Supreme as the paramount sādhana for liberation.