Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

स्रष्टारमस्य जगतश्चेत्पश्यामि सदाशिवम् । नानापृच्छाभिरथ तं कुर्यां नाथं विलज्जितम्

Transliteration

sraṣṭāramasya jagataścetpaśyāmi sadāśivam | nānāpṛcchābhiratha taṃ kuryāṃ nāthaṃ vilajjitam

Translation

If I could behold Sadāśiva, the creator of this world, then by asking him many questions I would (end up) embarrassing that Lord.

Word by Word

• स्रष्टारम्: the creator
• स्रष्टारम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — creator

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — of this

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — of the world

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle) — if

• पश्यामि: I see
• पश्यामि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन — I see

• सदाशिवम्: Sadāśiva
• सदाशिवम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — Sadāśiva

• नाना: many (kinds of)
• नाना: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb) — variously/many

• पृच्छाभिः: with questions
• पृच्छाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन — with questions

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (sequencing particle) — then

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — him

• कुर्याम्: I should make
• कुर्याम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन — I should make

• नाथम्: (as) lord
• नाथम्: Karman (Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — lord/master

• विलज्जितम्: ashamed
• विलज्जितम्: Karman (Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + लज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसक/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — made ashamed/embarrassed

Speaker

Nandabhadra (within Nārada’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapileśvara (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary moment: the liṅga’s presence expands into a subtle form of Sadāśiva—radiant, serene—while the devotee hesitates, torn between awe and the urge to ask profound questions.

Characters & Entities

• Sadāśiva
• Jagat
• Sraṣṭṛ (Creator)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even profound inquiry should be tempered with humility before the divine mystery of creation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Implicitly within the Kapileśvara–Bahūdaka-kuṇḍa setting, though the verse itself is theological.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces the devotee’s questioning as part of a stotra/prayerful reflection.