Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

कोटियोजनविस्तारः कटाहऋ संव्यवस्थितः । ब्रह्मणोंऽडं कटाहेन संयुक्तं मेरुमध्यतः

Transliteration

koṭiyojanavistāraḥ kaṭāhaṛ saṃvyavasthitaḥ | brahmaṇoṃ'ḍaṃ kaṭāhena saṃyuktaṃ merumadhyataḥ

Translation

There a vast ‘cauldron’ (enclosure) is set, spreading for a koṭi of yojanas. Within that cauldron the Egg of Brahmā (Brahmāṇḍa) is contained, with Meru standing at its center.

Word by Word

• कोटियोजनविस्तारः: having an extent of a crore yojanas
• कोटियोजनविस्तारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि + योजन + विस्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• कटाहः: a cauldron/bowl (kaṭāha)
• कटाहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• संव्यवस्थितः: is well-established/placed
• संव्यवस्थितः: Kriya-visheshana (State predicate/भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + वि + अव + √स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अण्डम्: egg; cosmic egg
• अण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• कटाहेन: with/by the cauldron
• कटाहेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• संयुक्तम्: joined/connected
• संयुक्तम्: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + √युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) agreeing with अण्डम्

• मेरुमध्यतः: from/at the middle of Meru
• मेरुमध्यतः: Apadana/Desha (Source/Location nuance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मेरु + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तस्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: from/at the middle of)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Meru (cosmic center)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Phālguna (contextual continuity)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A colossal vessel-like enclosure holding the luminous Brahmāṇḍa-egg; at its very center rises golden Meru, perfectly vertical, with concentric realms around it.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Brahmāṇḍa (Cosmic Egg)
• Meru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Creation is envisioned as a sacred, structured whole (brahmāṇḍa), with Meru as the axis—encouraging contemplation of the universe as divine order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Meru is a cosmic sacred mountain rather than a localized tīrtha in this passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.