Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

भ्रामयस्यखिलं विश्वं यन्त्रारूढं स्वमायया । येन विभ्रामिता मूढाः समायाताः स्वयंवरम्

Transliteration

bhrāmayasyakhilaṃ viśvaṃ yantrārūḍhaṃ svamāyayā | yena vibhrāmitā mūḍhāḥ samāyātāḥ svayaṃvaram

Translation

Par ta propre māyā, tu fais tourner l’univers entier, tel une machine mise en marche. Par cette même puissance, nous, les égarés, avons été troublés et sommes venus à ce svayaṃvara.

Word by Word

• भ्रामयसि: you cause to whirl/delude
• भ्रामयसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) + णिच्
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative, 2nd person, Singular; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• अखिलम्: entire
• अखिलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विश्वम्: universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यन्त्रारूढम्: mounted on a mechanism
• यन्त्रारूढम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यन्त्र + आरूढ (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Past participle ‘आरूढ’ (आ-रुह् + क्त) in तत्पुरुष-समास (‘यन्त्रे आरूढम्’ = mounted on a machine)

• स्वमायया: by your own māyā
• स्वमायया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Instrumental, Singular; कर्मधारय (‘स्वा माया’)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Instrumental, Singular

• विभ्रामिताः: thoroughly deluded
• विभ्रामिताः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-भ्रम् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) causative; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मूढाः: the fools
• मूढाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समायाताः: having come/arrived
• समायाताः: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-या (धातु) + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Past participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वयंवरम्: to the svayaṃvara (bride-choosing ceremony)
• स्वयंवरम्: Karma (Goal/object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयंवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (‘स्वयं व्रियते/वर्यते यत्र’)

Speaker

Devāḥ (the gods), attributing their confusion to māyā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: the universe depicted as a great wheel or mechanism, with beings moving as if mounted on a device; above or within it, the Lord’s subtle presence governs through māyā, while the speakers confess their bewilderment arriving at a svayaṃvara.

Characters & Entities

• Māyā
• Svayaṃvara
• Viśva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Māyā can bewilder all; seeing the world as ‘yantra-like’ encourages detachment and seeking the Lord beyond illusion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is philosophical, framed within the svayaṃvara narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicit; the implied practice is discernment (viveka) and devotion to transcend māyā.