Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

लोकसृष्टिप्रवाहार्थं स्वयमेव प्रजापतिः । धर्माधर्मौ ससर्जाग्रे स्ववक्षःपृष्ठभागतः

Transliteration

lokasṛṣṭipravāhārthaṃ svayameva prajāpatiḥ | dharmādharmau sasarjāgre svavakṣaḥpṛṣṭhabhāgataḥ

Translation

To keep the stream of worldly creation in motion, Prajāpati himself, in the beginning, brought forth Dharma and Adharma from the region of his chest and back.

Word by Word

• लोकसृष्टिप्रवाहार्थम्: for the purpose of the flow of world-creation
• लोकसृष्टिप्रवाहार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + सृष्टि + प्रवाह + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे प्रयुक्तः (purpose): ‘लोकसृष्टेः प्रवाहस्य अर्थम्’ = for the purpose of the continuation/flow of world-creation

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: oneself)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati (Lord of creatures)
• प्रजापतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• धर्म: dharma/righteousness
• धर्म: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक

• अधर्मौ: and adharma/unrighteousness (the pair)
• अधर्मौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), द्विवचन; ‘धर्म’ इत्यनेन सह द्वन्द्वार्थे

• ससर्ज: created/produced
• ससर्ज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अग्रे: at first/in the beginning
• अग्रे: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; सप्तमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययार्थ (adverb: at first/in the beginning)

• स्व: own
• स्व: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (own)

• वक्षः: chest
• वक्षः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक (chest)

• पृष्ठ: back
• पृष्ठ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक (back)

• भागतः: from the region/part
• भागतः: Apadana (Ablative/source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘वक्षःपृष्ठयोः भागः’ (the region/part of chest and back); अपादान

Speaker

Brahmā/Prajāpati (deduced from immediate mention; speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prajāpati as luminous progenitor: from his chest emerges a bright figure/personification of Dharma; from his back a darker, veiled figure of Adharma; the world-stream flows onward between them.

Characters & Entities

• Prajāpati
• Dharma
• Adharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma and Adharma are presented as foundational forces within creation, enabling moral order and its consequences in the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred site is referenced; the verse explains the primordial origin of ethical polarity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal statement about the emergence of Dharma and Adharma.