Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

केचिच्छिवं हरिं केचित्केचित्सूर्यं विधिं परे । केचिद्देवीं महद्भूतामुत ध्यायन्ति केचन

Transliteration

kecicchivaṃ hariṃ kecitkecitsūryaṃ vidhiṃ pare | keciddevīṃ mahadbhūtāmuta dhyāyanti kecana

Translation

Die einen meditieren über Śiva; andere über Hari; wieder andere über die Sonne und andere über den Schöpfer (Brahmā). Manche betrachten die Göttin, die große uranfängliche Kraft—so meditieren die Menschen auf verschiedene Weise.

Word by Word

• kecit: some (people)
• kecit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (pl.); अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun): ‘some’

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

• harim: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• harim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

• kecit: some
• kecit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• kecit: some
• kecit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• sūryam: the Sun
• sūryam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

• vidhim: Vidhī (Brahmā); the Ordainer
• vidhim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

• pare: others
• pare: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (pl.)

• kecit: some
• kecit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• devīm: the Goddess
• devīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

• mahad-bhūtām: the great being
• mahad-bhūtām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (sg.); कर्मधारय: ‘great being’ (qualifying devīm)

• uta: also; moreover
• uta: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uta (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्प/समुच्चयार्थक (also; or; moreover)

• dhyāyanti: meditate (on)
• dhyāyanti: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhyai (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (pl.), परस्मैपद

• kecana: some others
• kecana: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cana (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (pl.); अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम: ‘some (others)’

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative style)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mandala-like assembly of five focal icons: Śiva, Viṣṇu, Sūrya, Brahmā, and Devī, with meditators oriented to different icons, all within one sacred circle.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Sūrya
• Vidhi (Brahmā)
• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Puranic tradition recognizes multiple valid devotional-meditative focuses, reflecting diverse temperaments and paths.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse catalogs deities commonly contemplated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditation (dhyāna/upāsanā) is implied, but no specific vrata, snāna, or dāna is stated.