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Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 51

को वेद भस्मसामर्थ्यं महादेवा दृते परः । दुर्विभाव्यं यथा शंभोर्माहात्म्यं भस्मनस्तथा

ko veda bhasmasāmarthyaṃ mahādevā dṛte paraḥ | durvibhāvyaṃ yathā śaṃbhormāhātmyaṃ bhasmanastathā

Qui, hormis Mahādeva, peut vraiment connaître la puissance du bhasma ? De même que la grandeur de Śambhu est difficile à concevoir pleinement, ainsi l’est aussi la grandeur de la cendre sacrée.

kaḥwho?
kaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्न-सर्वनाम
vedaknows
veda:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vid (विद् धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect; present-like sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
bhasma-sāmarthyamthe power of ash
bhasma-sāmarthyam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootbhasman + sāmarthya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: भस्मनः सामर्थ्यम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
mahādevaO Mahādeva
mahādeva:
Sambodhana (Address)
TypeNoun
Rootmahādeva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग
dṛteexcept, without
dṛte:
Sambandha (Exclusion)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootdṛte (अव्यय; √dṛ/√dar? as gerundial indecl.)
Formवर्जनार्थक-अव्यय (excepting, without)
paraḥanother (person)
paraḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
dur-vibhāvyamhard to comprehend
dur-vibhāvyam:
Karta (Predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootdur (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + √bhū/√bhāv? (भाव् धातु) + ya (यत्)
Formकृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्यय: vibhāvya ‘to be conceived’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; दुर्गमत्व-विशेषणम् (hard to conceive)
yathāas, just as
yathā:
Sambandha (Comparator)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
Formउपमान/तुलनार्थक-अव्यय (as, just as)
śambhoḥof Śambhu (Śiva)
śambhoḥ:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootśambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
māhātmyamgreatness, glory
māhātmyam:
Karta (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootmāhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
bhasmanaḥof ash
bhasmanaḥ:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootbhasman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
tathāso, likewise
tathā:
Sambandha (Comparator)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
Formतुलनार्थक-अव्यय (so, likewise)

Vāmadeva

Tirtha: Bhasma (Vibhūti)

Type: kshetra

Listener: The seeker/questioner

Scene: A contemplative moment: the sage speaks of the unknowable magnitude of Śiva and bhasma; the composition emphasizes stillness—minimal gestures, deep gaze, and a quiet aura around the ash marks.

M
Mahādeva
Ś
Śambhu
B
Bhasma

FAQs

Certain sacred realities—Śiva’s nature and the sanctity of bhasma—surpass ordinary cognition and are known fully only to the Divine.

No tīrtha is named; the verse is a theological praise of Śiva and bhasma.

None explicitly; the verse functions as stuti (praise) establishing bhasma’s exalted status.