Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

राजसं गुणमाश्रित्य भूतसर्गमकल्मषम् । मनसा मानसी सृष्टिः प्रथमं चिंतिता मया

Transliteration

rājasaṃ guṇamāśritya bhūtasargamakalmaṣam | manasā mānasī sṛṣṭiḥ prathamaṃ ciṃtitā mayā

Translation

Gestützt auf die rājasa-Qualität ersann ich—rein und ohne Makel—die Schöpfung der Wesen; zuallererst erwog ich eine aus dem Geist geborene Schöpfung.

Word by Word

• राजसम्: rajasic
• राजसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गुणविशेषण

• गुणम्: quality, guṇa
• गुणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Gerundial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√श्रि (धातु; श्रि)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having resorted to)

• भूतसर्गम्: creation of beings
• भूतसर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत-सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक; भूत + सर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अकल्मषम्: stainless, sinless
• अकल्मषम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-कल्मष (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (negating)

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• मानसी: mental
• मानसी: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सृष्टिः इति विशेषण

• सृष्टिः: creation
• सृष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (firstly)

• चिन्तिता: was conceived/thought
• चिन्तिता: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, कर्मणि/भावे (thought/considered)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥/Agent (by whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (narrating)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An abstract cosmological tableau: rajas depicted as a dynamic reddish-golden current initiating forms; from the creator’s mind emanate subtle beings (mānasī sṛṣṭi) as thought-forms, yet surrounded by a clean, luminous aura indicating akalmaṣa purity.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Guṇas (Rajas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even cosmic activity operates through guṇas; disciplined intention (mind) is presented as the first blueprint for ordered creation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it provides doctrinal context within the tīrtha-focused section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse describes inner contemplation as the first stage of creation.