Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

नमः शिवाय महते सर्वलोकैकहेतवे । येन प्रकाश्यते सर्वं ध्रियते सततं नमः

Transliteration

namaḥ śivāya mahate sarvalokaikahetave | yena prakāśyate sarvaṃ dhriyate satataṃ namaḥ

Translation

Verehrung dem großen Śiva, der einzigen Ursache aller Welten—durch Ihn wird alles erleuchtet und unablässig getragen; Verehrung immer wieder.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana (Salutation/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (नमस्कारार्थे), विसर्गान्त-निपात — Indeclinable interjection of salutation

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• महते: to the great
• महते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• सर्वलोकैकहेतवे: to the sole cause of all worlds
• सर्वलोकैकहेतवे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वलोक + एक + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्वलोकानां एकः हेतुः); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — Tatpuruṣa; Masculine, Dative, Singular

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Relative pronoun, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रकाश्यते: is illumined, is manifested
• प्रकाश्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+काश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), कर्मणि-प्रयोग, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, Passive, 3rd person, Singular

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject of passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom., Singular

• ध्रियते: is sustained
• ध्रियते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), कर्मणि-प्रयोग, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, Passive, 3rd person, Singular

• सततम्: always, continually
• सततम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय (काल/नित्यत्वे), क्रियाविशेषण — Indeclinable adverb

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana (Salutation/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (नमस्कारार्थे), पुनरुक्त-निपात — Indeclinable salutation (repeated)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aruṇācala

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇic interlocutor(s) in the Aruṇācalamāhātmya frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā offers repeated salutations to Mahāśiva; the cosmos is shown as emanating light from Śiva and being held within His sustaining presence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is praised as both the source of creation and the sustaining light; remembrance through namas is itself dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Aruṇācalamāhātmya context glorifies Arunachala as the place where this supreme Śiva is especially celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Repeated salutations (namo-namaḥ) and Śiva-nāma remembrance; no specific vrata or dāna is stated.