Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

शिष्योऽहं भवता पाठ्यं कर्णधारं महामुनिम् । अपारपारदं विष्णुं विप्रमूर्तिमुपाश्रितम्

Transliteration

śiṣyo'haṃ bhavatā pāṭhyaṃ karṇadhāraṃ mahāmunim | apārapāradaṃ viṣṇuṃ vipramūrtimupāśritam

Translation

Ich bin dein Schüler—unterweise mich, o großer Weiser, du bist mein Steuermann über den uferlosen Ozean: Vishnu, der die Wesen ans jenseitige Ufer trägt und der hier in der Gestalt eines Brahmanen aufgesucht wird.

Word by Word

• śiṣyaḥ: disciple
• śiṣyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhavatā: by you (sir)
• bhavatā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• pāṭhyam: to be taught / teachable
• pāṭhyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāṭhya (प्रातिपदिक; √paṭh (धातु) से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• karṇadhāram: helmsman; guide
• karṇadhāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇadhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• mahāmunim: the great sage
• mahāmunim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• apārapāradam: giver of the far shore of the endless (i.e., who helps cross the boundless)
• apārapāradam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apāra + pāra + da (प्रातिपदिक; √dā (धातु) ‘to give’ से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• vipramūrtim: one whose form is that of a brāhmaṇa
• vipramūrtim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• upāśritam: resorted to; taken refuge in
• upāśritam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√śri (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating within Māheśvara-khaṇḍa to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble seeker bows before a great sage; behind them, a vast ocean symbolizes saṃsāra, while Viṣṇu is subtly suggested as a brāhmaṇa-ferryman holding a staff and water-pot, indicating divine guidance in human form.

Characters & Entities

• Gālava
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching a true teacher with humility leads one toward liberation; the Divine is the ultimate guide across saṃsāra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular place is named; the verse uses the ocean-crossing metaphor for spiritual passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it is a formal request for instruction and refuge.