Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 194

Devanagari script

चतुर्भिश्च त्रिभिर्द्वाभ्यामेकधा प्रणमामि तम् । पूर्वापरापरयुगे शास्तारं परमीश्वरम्

Transliteration

caturbhiśca tribhirdvābhyāmekadhā praṇamāmi tam | pūrvāparāparayuge śāstāraṃ paramīśvaram

Translation

Mit vierfacher, dreifacher, zweifacher und einmütiger Niederwerfung verneige ich mich vor Ihm—dem höchsten Herrn, dem ewigen Lehrer—gegenwärtig durch die früheren und späteren Zeitalter.

Word by Word

• चतुर्भिः: with four (ways)
• चतुर्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्; संख्याशब्दः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; संख्याशब्दः

• द्वाभ्याम्: with two
• द्वाभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; संख्याशब्दः

• एकधा: in one way
• एकधा: Sambandha (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकधा (अव्यय; एक + धा)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: in one way)

• प्रणमामि: I bow
• प्रणमामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तम-पुरुषः (1st), एकवचनम्

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• पूर्वापरापरयुगे: in the earlier and later ages
• पूर्वापरापरयुगे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अपर (प्रातिपदिक) + अपर (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (पूर्व-अपर-अपर-युग = in the former and later ages)

• शास्तारम्: the teacher/ruler
• शास्तारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• परमेश्वरम्: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (परमः ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa framing)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee performs successive prostrations—standing añjali, kneeling, full aṣṭāṅga—before a timeless, radiant Lord seated as guru; behind, faint panels depict different yugas to show continuity.

Characters & Entities

• Paramīśvara
• Śāstā (the Divine Teacher)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Offer complete humility and unwavering reverence to the Supreme Lord, who guides beings in every age.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a universal hymn within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The practice implied is repeated namaskāra (prostration) as an act of devotion and surrender.