Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 103

Devanagari script

त्वमात्मा प्रकृतिश्चाहं नात्र कार्या विचारणा । तथापि शंभो कर्तव्यं मम चोद्वहनं महत्

Transliteration

tvamātmā prakṛtiścāhaṃ nātra kāryā vicāraṇā | tathāpi śaṃbho kartavyaṃ mama codvahanaṃ mahat

Translation

„Du bist das höchste Ātman, und ich bin Prakṛti; darüber bedarf es keiner Erwägung. Dennoch, o Śambhu, musst du die große Tat vollbringen: mich feierlich im Ehebund als Gattin annehmen.“

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आत्मा: the Self
• आत्मा: Pratijna/Predicate nominal (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रकृतिः: nature/prakṛti
• प्रकृतिः: Pratijna/Predicate nominal (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• कार्या: necessary
• कार्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to be done/necessary)

• विचारणा: consideration/deliberation
• विचारणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथापि: nevertheless
• तथापि: Sambandha (Concession/विरोध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अपवादार्थक (concessive)

• शंभो: O Śambhu
• शंभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्तव्यम्: must be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Karma (What must be done/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• उद्वहनम्: carrying/leading away (bearing)
• उद्वहनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद् (उपसर्ग) + वह् (धातु) → उद्वहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियानाम (action noun)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Pārvatī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-Himālaya Śiva-Śakti kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī declares: ‘You are the Self; I am Prakṛti—no deliberation needed; yet, Śambhu, you must perform the great act of bearing me in marriage.’ The scene blends philosophical proclamation with bridal insistence.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu
• Śiva
• Pārvatī
• Ātmā
• Prakṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when ultimate non-duality is known (Śiva as Ātman, Pārvatī as Prakṛti), dharma is honored through sacred social rites like marriage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting belongs to Kedārakhaṇḍa, associated with the Kedāra (Kedārnāth) sacred region, though this verse focuses on the divine marriage arrangement.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Udvahana—formal wedding/acceptance in marriage—presented as a ‘great act’ to be duly performed.