Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

कृत्वा प्रतोदमोंकारं मुखग्राह्यं महेश्वरः । धातारं चाग्रतः कृत्वा विधातारं च पृष्ठतः

Transliteration

kṛtvā pratodamoṃkāraṃ mukhagrāhyaṃ maheśvaraḥ | dhātāraṃ cāgrataḥ kṛtvā vidhātāraṃ ca pṛṣṭhataḥ

Translation

Maheśvara fit de l’aiguillon la syllabe Oṃ, digne d’être tenue à l’avant; et il plaça Dhātṛ au-devant et Vidhātṛ à l’arrière.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), धातु: कृ, अर्थ: ‘having done’

• प्रतोद: goad, whip
• प्रतोद: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतोद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• ओंकारम्: the syllable Oṃ
• ओंकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मुखग्राह्यम्: to be held in the mouth
• मुखग्राह्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख + ग्राह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘by/with the mouth’ + ‘to be grasped/held’)

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• धातारम्: Dhātṛ (the Creator)
• धातारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Locative sense/स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• कृत्वा: having placed/made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), धातु: कृ

• विधातारम्: Vidhātṛ (the Ordainer/Creator)
• विधातारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पृष्ठतः: behind
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikarana (Locative sense/स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tirtha-mandala

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Maheśvara fashions a radiant chariot: the goad is the syllable Oṃ, held at the fore; Dhātṛ stands ahead as the stabilizing creator, Vidhātṛ behind as the arranger—cosmic officials positioned like attendants of a divine vehicle.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Oṃkāra (Oṃ)
• Dhātṛ
• Vidhātṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Oṃ is presented as the driving impulse of sacred action, while cosmic order (Dhātṛ/Vidhātṛ) stands arranged under Śiva’s command.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) sacred setting frames the narration; this verse itself is doctrinal-symbolic rather than site-specific.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; however, it elevates Oṃkāra as a foundational sacred principle often central to japa and meditation.