Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

कोटियोजनविस्तारः कटाहऋ संव्यवस्थितः । ब्रह्मणोंऽडं कटाहेन संयुक्तं मेरुमध्यतः

Transliteration

koṭiyojanavistāraḥ kaṭāhaṛ saṃvyavasthitaḥ | brahmaṇoṃ'ḍaṃ kaṭāhena saṃyuktaṃ merumadhyataḥ

Translation

Dort ist ein gewaltiger «Kessel» (Umschließung) eingerichtet, ausgedehnt über ein Koṭi Yojanas. In diesem Kessel ist das Ei Brahmās (Brahmāṇḍa) enthalten, und Meru steht in seiner Mitte.

Word by Word

• कोटियोजनविस्तारः: having an extent of a crore yojanas
• कोटियोजनविस्तारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि + योजन + विस्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• कटाहः: a cauldron/bowl (kaṭāha)
• कटाहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• संव्यवस्थितः: is well-established/placed
• संव्यवस्थितः: Kriya-visheshana (State predicate/भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + वि + अव + √स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अण्डम्: egg; cosmic egg
• अण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• कटाहेन: with/by the cauldron
• कटाहेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• संयुक्तम्: joined/connected
• संयुक्तम्: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + √युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) agreeing with अण्डम्

• मेरुमध्यतः: from/at the middle of Meru
• मेरुमध्यतः: Apadana/Desha (Source/Location nuance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मेरु + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तस्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: from/at the middle of)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Meru (cosmic center)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Phālguna (contextual continuity)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A colossal vessel-like enclosure holding the luminous Brahmāṇḍa-egg; at its very center rises golden Meru, perfectly vertical, with concentric realms around it.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Brahmāṇḍa (Cosmic Egg)
• Meru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Creation is envisioned as a sacred, structured whole (brahmāṇḍa), with Meru as the axis—encouraging contemplation of the universe as divine order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Meru is a cosmic sacred mountain rather than a localized tīrtha in this passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.