Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

तेन विप्रेण वार्धक्ये समाराध्य महेश्वरम् । प्राप्तोऽहमिति मे नाम ईशान इति कल्पितम्

Transliteration

tena vipreṇa vārdhakye samārādhya maheśvaram | prāpto'hamiti me nāma īśāna iti kalpitam

Translation

When that brāhmaṇa reached old age, having duly worshipped Maheśvara, he said, “I have attained (my goal),” and thus my name was conceived as Īśāna.

Word by Word

• tena: by him
• tena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; instrumental singular

• vipreṇa: by the Brahmin
• vipreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental singular (agent/instrument)

• vārdhakye: in old age
• vārdhakye: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vārdhakya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative singular

• samārādhya: having worshipped
• samārādhya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√rādh (धातु) → samārādhya (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); 'समाराध्य' = having duly worshipped/propitiated

• maheśvaram: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• maheśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular

• prāptaḥ: obtained, attained
• prāptaḥ: Karta (Predicate of subject/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु) → prāpta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; past participle used predicatively

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री (सर्वनाम), प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग)

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; enclitic genitive singular

• nāma: name
• nāma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here nominative singular (subject of 'kalpitam')

• īśānaḥ: Īśāna
• īśānaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; used as नाम (proper name) in apposition

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग)

• kalpitam: was assigned/formed
• kalpitam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kḷp (धातु) → kalpita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; past participle: 'was assigned/was devised' (agreeing with 'nāma')

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) narrating (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aged brāhmaṇa performs calm, dignified worship before a Śiva-liṅga; beside him stands the silent son, and a subtle inscription-like aura suggests the name ‘Īśāna’ arising from the declaration ‘prāpto’ham’.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Īśāna
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady worship of Maheśvara across life, even into old age, culminates in attainment and a transformed spiritual identity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes Maheśvara-ārādhana rather than naming a site; the broader adhyāya may situate the account in a particular Śaiva kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samārādhana (devout propitiation/worship) of Maheśvara as a sustained sādhana.