Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

महामते मांडिपुत्र न धार्यं ते भयं हृदि । चत्वारस्त्वां हि धर्माद्या मनस्त्यक्ष्यामहे न ते

Transliteration

mahāmate māṃḍiputra na dhāryaṃ te bhayaṃ hṛdi | catvārastvāṃ hi dharmādyā manastyakṣyāmahe na te

Translation

“O noble-minded son of Māṃḍi, do not hold fear in your heart. For we four—beginning with Dharma—will not abandon your mind and inner resolve.”

Word by Word

• mahāmate: O great-minded one
• mahāmate: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘महती मतिः यस्य’/‘महामतिः’ (Vocative singular)

• māṃḍiputra: O son of Māṃḍi
• māṃḍiputra: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māṃḍi (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘माण्डेः पुत्र’ (Vocative singular)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• dhāryam: to be borne/held
• dhāryam: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dhṛ (धातु) → dhārya (कृदन्त; यत्-प्रत्यय, विधेय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण ‘धार्यं’ = ‘to be borne/held’ (Neuter predicative)

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Genitive singular: ‘of you/your’)

• bhayam: fear
• bhayam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter singular; here as object of ‘dhāryam’/predicative)

• hṛdi: in (your) heart
• hṛdi: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (Locative singular)

• catvāraḥ: four
• catvāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catvāri (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्या (Masculine nominative plural)

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Accusative singular)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ-निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• dharma-ādyāḥ: Dharma and the others
• dharma-ādyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘धर्मः आदिः येषाम्’ (group headed by Dharma)

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (Neuter accusative singular)

• tyakṣyāmahe: we will abandon
• tyakṣyāmahe: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (Future, 1st plural, middle)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• te: of you/your
• te: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Genitive singular: ‘of you/your’)

Speaker

Vibhūtis (a group of four, beginning with Dharma)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four personified dharmic powers—led by Dharma—lean toward the newborn-to-be (or the womb), offering a gesture of reassurance: ‘Do not fear; we will not abandon your mind.’

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Vibhūtis
• Māṃḍi-putra (child)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fear subsides when dharma and divine supports steady the mind; inner resolve is protected by righteous forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred geography is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a reassurance and promise of protection.