Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

ध्यायमानावनौपम्यं स्वं कारणमकारणम् । वासुदेवमनिर्देश्यमप्रतर्क्यमनन्तरम्

Transliteration

dhyāyamānāvanaupamyaṃ svaṃ kāraṇamakāraṇam | vāsudevamanirdeśyamapratarkyamanantaram

Translation

Ils méditaient sur Vāsudeva—sans égal, leur propre cause première et pourtant au-delà de toute causalité; indicible, au-delà du raisonnement, et sans fin.

Word by Word

• ध्यायमानौ: (the two) meditating
• ध्यायमानौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• अनौपम्यम्: incomparable
• अनौपम्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनौपम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्वम्: one’s own
• स्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अकारणम्: causeless
• अकारणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग-निषेध (negated)

• वासुदेवम्: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अनिर्देश्यम्: indescribable
• अनिर्देश्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-निर्देश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-युक्त विशेषण

• अप्रतर्क्यम्: beyond reasoning
• अप्रतर्क्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-प्रतर्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-युक्त विशेषण

• अनन्तरम्: without interval/immediate; (here) non-different
• अनन्तरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (contextual attribution within Āvantya/Revā narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gandhamādana (tapas-sthāna)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nara–Nārāyaṇa in deep meditation with a subtle, formless radiance suggesting Vāsudeva beyond depiction—an aura that dissolves edges of form, hinting at the indescribable.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva
• Nara-Nārāyaṇa (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme is to be realized through contemplation and devotion, transcending mere description and intellectual debate.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it deepens the contemplative theology within the Gandhamādana austerity narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dhyāna (meditation) on Vāsudeva—emphasizing inner realization beyond speech and reasoning.