Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

श्रीमहादेव उवाच । अप्रकाशो महादेवि देवासुरैस्तु मानवैः

Transliteration

śrīmahādeva uvāca | aprakāśo mahādevi devāsuraistu mānavaiḥ

Translation

Śrī Mahādeva dit : Ô grande Déesse, cela ne se divulgue pas aisément ; cela demeure voilé aux dieux, aux asuras et aux humains.

Word by Word

• śrīmahādevaḥ: the revered Mahādeva
• śrīmahādevaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + mahādeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—श्री + महादेव (कर्मधारय)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• aprakāśaḥ: (it is) not manifest/hidden
• aprakāśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-prakāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• mahādevi: O great goddess
• mahādevi: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahādevī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• deva: by gods
• deva: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘देवैः’ (समासपूर्वपद)

• asuraiḥ: by demons
• asuraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• mānavaiḥ: by humans
• mānavaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

Speaker

Śiva (Mahādeva)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī/Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahādeva, grave and compassionate, cautions that the doctrine is not readily disclosed—hidden from gods, demons, and humans—creating a hush of secrecy around the teaching.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Mahādeva)
• Pārvatī (Mahādevī)
• Devas
• Asuras
• Humans

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Certain spiritual truths are ‘guhya’ (confidential) and require worthiness, devotion, and proper transmission rather than casual disclosure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this half-verse; the emphasis is on the secrecy and sanctity of the teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse frames the teaching as esoteric rather than prescribing an external ritual.