Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

ब्रह्माणं स्थापयामास चतुर्वेदसमन्वितम् । श्रीमातरं महाशक्तिं शून्यस्वामिहरिं तथा

Transliteration

brahmāṇaṃ sthāpayāmāsa caturvedasamanvitam | śrīmātaraṃ mahāśaktiṃ śūnyasvāmihariṃ tathā

Translation

Il établit Brahmā, pourvu des quatre Vedas. Il établit aussi Śrīmātṛ, la Mère de bon augure, la Grande Puissance, et de même Śūnyasvāmi-Hari.

Word by Word

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā
• brahmāṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• sthāpayāmāsa: installed, set up
• sthāpayāmāsa: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धा॒tu) + ṇic (causative) → sthāpaya + āsa (लिट्-परस्मैपद)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative) ‘स्थापयति’ = ‘caused to be placed/installed’

• caturvedasamanvitam: endowed with the four Vedas
• caturvedasamanvitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur + veda + samanvita (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म-विशेषणम् (brahmāṇam); तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘चतुर्भिः वेदैः समन्वितम्’

• śrīmātaram: Śrī-mother (holy mother)
• śrīmātaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘श्रियाः माता’/‘श्री-सम्बद्धा माता’ (Lakṣmī/holy mother)

• mahāśaktim: the great Power (Mahāśakti)
• mahāśaktim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + śakti (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘महती सा शक्तिः’

• śūnyasvāmiharim: Śūnyasvāmi-Hari (a deity)
• śūnyasvāmiharim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūnya + svāmin + hari (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (सम्बन्धार्थः) ‘शून्य-स्वामिन्-हरि’ (a named deity/epithet)

• tathā: and also, likewise
• tathā: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकार-अव्यय (particle: likewise/also)

Speaker

Narrator (speaker not explicit; consecration narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmā-Śrīmātṛ-Hari sthāpana (multi-deity kshetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand establishment of multiple sancta: Brahmā with four faces and Vedic emblems; Śrīmātṛ as radiant Mother Power; Hari as serene preserver (Śūnyasvāmi-Hari) within a unified consecration ceremony.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Four Vedas
• Śrīmātṛ (Divine Mother)
• Mahāśakti
• Śūnyasvāmi-Hari

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma honors multiple divine manifestations—Vedic wisdom (Brahmā), the Mother’s power (Śakti), and Hari—through proper establishment and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The consecrations occur within the Dharmāraṇya Māhātmya frame; this verse highlights installed deities rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sthāpana/pratiṣṭhā (installation) of deities—Brahmā, the Divine Mother/Śakti, and a form of Hari.