Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

विष्णवे सत्त्वरूपाय रजोरूपाय वेधसे । तमोरूपाय रुद्राय स्थितिसर्गांतकारिणे

Transliteration

viṣṇave sattvarūpāya rajorūpāya vedhase | tamorūpāya rudrāya sthitisargāṃtakāriṇe

Translation

Salutations to Viṣṇu as the form of sattva; to the Creator (Vedhas/Brahmā) as the form of rajas; and to Rudra as the form of tamas—who performs preservation, creation, and dissolution.

Word by Word

• viṣṇave: to Viṣṇu
• viṣṇave: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (विष्णु प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• sattvarūpāya: to the form of sattva
• sattvarūpāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattva (सत्त्व प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (रूप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सत्त्वस्य रूपम्)

• rajorūpāya: to the form of rajas
• rajorūpāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas (रजस् प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (रूप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रजसः रूपम्)

• vedhase: to the Creator (Vedhas)
• vedhase: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedhas (वेधस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• tamorūpāya: to the form of tamas
• tamorūpāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (तमस् प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (रूप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तमसः रूपम्)

• rudrāya: to Rudra
• rudrāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (रुद्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• sthiti: maintenance
• sthiti: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthiti (स्थिति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• sarga: creation
• sarga: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (सर्ग प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• anta: end, dissolution
• anta: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta (अन्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• kāriṇe: to the doer, maker
• kāriṇe: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु) + kārin (कारिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (णिनि-प्रत्यय, agent noun)

Speaker

Unspecified (Devotional eulogy within Dharmāraṇya narrative; likely a sage or narrator-voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Trimūrti-darśana (conceptual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A triadic cosmic tableau: Viṣṇu in serene sattvic hue, Brahmā in dynamic creative posture, Rudra in austere dissolving aspect; behind them a single luminous source indicating unity.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Brahmā (Vedhas)
• Rudra
• Triguṇa
• Creation-Preservation-Dissolution

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The one Supreme is understood through cosmic functions and guṇas, manifesting as the well-known divine powers of creation, maintenance, and dissolution.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse strengthens the Mahātmya atmosphere of Dharmāraṇya by presenting the deity as Lord of cosmic cycles.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal stuti suitable for recitation in worship.