Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

अष्टैश्वर्याणि चोक्तानि तेजोरूपाणि केवलम् । पंचभिर्ब्रह्मभिः पूर्वं हृल्लेखाद्यादिभिः क्रमात

Transliteration

aṣṭaiśvaryāṇi coktāni tejorūpāṇi kevalam | paṃcabhirbrahmabhiḥ pūrvaṃ hṛllekhādyādibhiḥ kramāta

Translation

Thus the eight sovereign powers (aiśvaryas) are declared—nothing but radiant forms. Before them, in due order, come the five Brahmās beginning with Hṛllekha and the rest.

Word by Word

• अष्ट-ऐश्वर्याणि: the eight powers (aiśvaryas)
• अष्ट-ऐश्वर्याणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या) + ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; द्विगु-समासः (अष्टान्य् ऐश्वर्याणि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• उक्तानि: are said/declared
• उक्तानि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उक्त (कृदन्त; √वच् (धातु), क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘said/declared’—कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय

• तेजः-रूपाणि: having the form of radiance
• तेजः-रूपाणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (तेजसः रूपाणि) — ‘of the nature of radiance’

• केवलम्: only/merely
• केवलम्: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावे)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः/क्रियाविशेषणम् (only/merely)

• पञ्चभिः: by/with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्याशब्द; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; संख्याविशेषणम्

• ब्रह्मभिः: by/with the Brahmas (brahma-beings)
• ब्रह्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• पूर्वम्: formerly/earlier
• पूर्वम्: Desha-Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (formerly/earlier)

• हृत्-लेख-आद्यादिभिः: with those beginning with Hṛllekha, etc.
• हृत्-लेख-आद्यादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत्/हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + लेख (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘आद्यादि’ = ‘and so on’; तत्पुरुष-समासः/समाहारः—‘beginning with Hṛllekha etc.’

• क्रमात्: in sequence/gradually
• क्रमात्: Sambandha (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = ‘in order/gradually’

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator/teacher within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa ritual instruction)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous hierarchy diagram: five Brahmā-forms in a lower/inner preparatory band (Hṛllekha first), above/around them eight radiant aiśvarya-forms like flames or sunbursts, all converging toward the central Sadāśiva principle.

Characters & Entities

• Aṣṭaiśvarya
• Five Brahmās
• Hṛllekha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All powers and cosmic offices are ultimately expressions of divine radiance, approached in a disciplined, sequential worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is on metaphysical ordering within ritual practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Follow a fixed sequence: recognize the five Brahmās (starting with Hṛllekha) and then the eight aiśvaryas as radiant forms within the āvaraṇa-pūjā.