Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

स्वाध्यायस्तु जपः प्रोक्तः प्रणवाभ्यसनादिकः । शिवे ज्ञाने गुरौ भक्तिर्गुरुभक्तिरिति स्मृता

Transliteration

svādhyāyastu japaḥ proktaḥ praṇavābhyasanādikaḥ | śive jñāne gurau bhaktirgurubhaktiriti smṛtā

Translation

Svādhyāya is declared to be japa—such as repeated practice of the Praṇava (Oṁ) and the like. Devotion directed to Śiva, to sacred knowledge, and to the Guru is remembered as ‘guru-devotion’.

Word by Word

• स्वाध्यायः: self-study, recitation
• स्वाध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle)

• जपः: muttering, repetition (japa)
• जपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स्वाध्यायः’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम्

• प्रोक्तः: declared, said
• प्रोक्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘जपः’ इति विशेषणम्

• प्रणवाभ्यसनादिकः: consisting of practice of praṇava (Oṃ) etc.
• प्रणवाभ्यसनादिकः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणव + अभ्यास + आदि + क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्रणवस्य अभ्यासः’ इत्यादि यस्य सः; ‘जपः’ इति विशेषणम्

• शिवे: in Śiva
• शिवे: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• ज्ञाने: in knowledge
• ज्ञाने: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• गुरौ: in the guru
• गुरौ: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गुरुभक्तिः: devotion to the guru
• गुरुभक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘गुरौ भक्तिः’ इति; समानाधिकरण-परिभाषा

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• स्मृता: is remembered (as), is called
• स्मृता: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः: ‘(सा) स्मृता’ = is remembered/called

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guru seated beneath a tree or in a small maṭha instructs a disciple; a Śiva-liṅga nearby; the syllable Oṁ visualized as luminous script above, indicating praṇava-japa and svādhyāya.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred repetition (japa), especially of Oṃ, and devotion to Śiva, wisdom, and the guru form a core inner observance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse emphasizes devotional-yogic practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇava (Oṃ) practice and japa are prescribed as svādhyāya; devotion to guru and Śiva is prescribed as bhakti.