Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

एतदेव परं गुह्यमेतदेव परं महः । एतद्धि दुर्लभं लोके लोकत्रयविभूषणम्

Transliteration

etadeva paraṃ guhyametadeva paraṃ mahaḥ | etaddhi durlabhaṃ loke lokatrayavibhūṣaṇam

Translation

Dies allein ist das höchste Geheimnis; dies allein ist der höchste Glanz. Wahrlich, dies ist in der Welt selten—ein Schmuck der drei Welten.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle ‘indeed/only’)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गुह्यम्: secret
• गुह्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महः: great light/splendour
• महः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis/reason ‘indeed/for’)

• दुर्लभम्: hard to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक; दुर् + लभ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्ग-तत्पुरुषः ‘दुष्टं/कठिनं लभ्यते’

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• लोकत्रयविभूषणम्: ornament of the three worlds
• लोकत्रयविभूषणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकत्रयविभूषण (प्रातिपदिक; लोक + त्रय + विभूषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘लोकत्रयस्य विभूषणम्’ (ornament of the three worlds)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A closed lotus-bud opening to reveal a radiant mantra-scroll marked with Oṃ; three-tiered cosmos (earth, mid-region, heaven) shown as being ornamented by the mantra’s light.

Characters & Entities

• Lokatraya (three worlds)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The teaching/mantra is elevated as a rare, supreme secret whose glory surpasses ordinary worldly attainments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is a general eulogy; the location context remains in the chapter’s broader tīrtha-discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated here; it functions as praise to inspire devotion and practice.