Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

महेश्वरश्च रेखाया द्वितीयायाश्च देवता । मकाराहवनीयौ च परमात्मा तमो दिवः

Transliteration

maheśvaraśca rekhāyā dvitīyāyāśca devatā | makārāhavanīyau ca paramātmā tamo divaḥ

Translation

Maheśvara est la divinité présidante de la deuxième ligne. Et s’y rattachent le « M » (makāra), le feu Āhavanīya, le Soi suprême (Paramātman), le tamas et le domaine céleste (divaḥ).

Word by Word

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् ईश्वरः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• रेखायाः: of the line
• रेखायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• द्वितीयायाः: of the second
• द्वितीयायाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; (agreeing with रेखायाः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• देवता: deity
• देवता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मकार-आहवनीयौ: the letter 'ma' and the Āhavanīya fire
• मकार-आहवनीयौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकार (प्रातिपदिक) + आहवनीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (मकारः च आहवनीयः च)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• परमात्मा: Supreme Self
• परमात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमः आत्मा)

• तमः: tamas (darkness/inertia)
• तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दिवः: of heaven/of day
• दिवः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; (दिवः = of heaven/day)

Speaker

Śrī Rudra (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous Āhavanīya fire altar at center; above it Maheśvara as presiding deity; Makāra glyph hovering; a dark tamas cloud being drawn into flame and transformed into a bright heavenly dome (divaḥ); a subtle Paramātman light at the core.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Makāra
• Āhavanīya
• Paramātman
• Tamas
• Divaḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the guṇas and cosmic planes are brought under Śiva’s lordship—Tripuṇḍra trains the mind to see the Supreme within all layers of existence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is cited; the emphasis is doctrinal symbolism of the Tripuṇḍra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regard Maheśvara as the presiding deity of the second line and contemplate its stated correspondences.