Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

तस्यास्ये वर्तितुं देवी व्यवस्यत सती तदा । ज्ञात्वा मनोगतं तस्या भगवांश्चतुराननः

Transliteration

tasyāsye vartituṃ devī vyavasyata satī tadā | jñātvā manogataṃ tasyā bhagavāṃścaturānanaḥ

Translation

At that time the Goddess Satī resolved to enter its mouth. Knowing the intention that had arisen in her mind, the Blessed Four-faced One (Brahmā) …

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप (genitive singular)

• आस्ये: in the mouth/face
• आस्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (locative singular)

• वर्तितुम्: to remain/act (there)
• वर्तितुम्: Prayojana/Anukriya (Infinitival purpose/complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; अर्थः—कर्तुं/स्थितुं (to act/behave/remain)

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (nominative singular)

• व्यवस्यत: resolved/decided
• व्यवस्यत: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + सि (धातु: सि/अवसि—‘निश्चय’ अर्थे; व्यवस्/व्यवस्य)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थः—निश्चयं चकार (resolved/decided)

• सती: Satī
• सती: Karta (Apposition to subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सत्’ से)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेष-नाम (Satī)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया—‘ज्ञात्वा’ (having known)

• मनोगतम्: what was in (her) mind; intention
• मनोगतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—मनसि/मनसः गतं (gone into the mind)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (genitive singular)

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (nominative singular)

• चतुराननः: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुराननः: Karta (Apposition to subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—चत्वारि आननानि यस्य (one who has four faces)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pārvatī poised at a liminal act, her face turned toward a mysterious ‘mouth’ (metaphoric or narrative object), while Brahmā, four-faced, perceives her intention before she acts; the atmosphere is charged with impending transformation.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Pārvatī/Satī epithet)
• Siṃha (lion)
• Caturānana (Brahmā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When emotion drives one toward extreme action, higher wisdom (symbolized by Brahmā) intervenes to restore balance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.