Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

उत्तानं पतितं दृष्ट्वा पिनाकी परमेश्वरः । दधार हृदये तस्य स्वरूपं रूपवर्जितः

Transliteration

uttānaṃ patitaṃ dṛṣṭvā pinākī parameśvaraḥ | dadhāra hṛdaye tasya svarūpaṃ rūpavarjitaḥ

Translation

Le voyant gisant sur le dos, Pinākī—Parameśvara—porta en son cœur son essence, cette nature qui demeure au-delà de toute forme.

Word by Word

• uttānam: lying on the back / supine
• uttānam: Karman (Object-Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Neuter, Accusative, Singular; पतितम्-विशेषण/अवस्था

• patitam: fallen
• patitam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pat (धातु; पत्) + ta (कृत्; क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु; दृश्)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund) = 'having seen'

• pinākī: Pinākin (Śiva)
• pinākī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pinākin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• parameśvaraḥ: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaraḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (परमः ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• dadhāra: held/kept
• dadhāra: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु; धृ)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद = Perfect, 3rd sg

• hṛdaye: in (his) heart
• hṛdaye: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Neuter, Locative, Singular

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive-relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Genitive, Singular (pronoun)

• svarūpam: (his) true form/nature
• svarūpam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य रूपम् = one's own form/nature); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• rūpa-varjitaḥ: formless / devoid of form
• rūpa-varjitaḥ: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + varjita (कृदन्त; √vṛj/varj 'to exclude' + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रूपेण वर्जितः/रूपं वर्जितः = devoid of form); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = Masculine, Nominative, Singular; pinākī/parameśvara-विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Lohāsura lies supine; above/near him stands Pinākī (Śiva) serene, eyes inward, as if drawing the daitya’s ‘essential nature’ into his heart—an invisible, formless act amid a battlefield.

Characters & Entities

• Pinākī
• Parameśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme is ultimately beyond form; divine action arises from inner realization and compassionate intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tirtha is named in this verse; it contributes to Dharmāraṇya’s sacred narrative atmosphere.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.