Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

श्रृणु नामानि लोकानां मातॄणां शंकराणि च । अदितिर्दितिर्दनुः सिंही दनायुः सुरभिस्तथा

Transliteration

śrṛṇu nāmāni lokānāṃ mātṝṇāṃ śaṃkarāṇi ca | aditirditirdanuḥ siṃhī danāyuḥ surabhistathā

Translation

Écoute à présent les noms des Mères des mondes, ainsi que les lignées de bon augure liées à Śaṅkara : Aditi, Diti, Danu, Siṃhī, Danāyu, et aussi Surabhi.

Word by Word

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद — 'hear'

• नामानि: names
• नामानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन — 'names'

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन — 'of the worlds/people'

• मातॄणाम्: of the mothers
• मातॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन — 'of the mothers'

• शंकराणि: auspicious (names)
• शंकराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन — 'beneficial/auspicious (things/names)' (as listed)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: and)

• अदितिः: Aditi
• अदितिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — proper name

• दितिः: Diti
• दितिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — proper name

• दनुः: Danu
• दनुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — proper name

• सिंही: Siṃhī
• सिंही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — proper name

• दनायुः: Danāyu
• दनायुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दनायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — proper name

• सुरभिः: Surabhi
• सुरभिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — proper name

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/सादृश्य (adverb: likewise/also)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A litany-visual: six divine mothers—Aditi, Diti, Danu, Siṃhī, Danāyu, Surabhi—arrayed as a protective circle; subtle Śaṅkara presence (liṅga or Śiva’s aura) indicating ‘śaṅkara’ auspicious connection.

Characters & Entities

• Aditi
• Diti
• Danu
• Siṃhī
• Danāyu
• Surabhi
• Śaṅkara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma frames the universe through sacred lineages, teaching that cosmic order is sustained by divinely instituted origins.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; this passage lists primordial mothers in a cosmological account.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No vrata, dāna, snāna, or japa instruction appears in this verse.