Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

कथं विश्वमिदं जातं कर्मजातिप्रकल्पितम् । कथं वा भारतं खंडं शुश्रूषेय सदा मम

Transliteration

kathaṃ viśvamidaṃ jātaṃ karmajātiprakalpitam | kathaṃ vā bhārataṃ khaṃḍaṃ śuśrūṣeya sadā mama

Translation

«Comment cet univers est-il venu à l’existence—ce monde ordonné selon le karma et les diverses conditions de naissance ? Et comment se fait-il que la région nommée Bhārata-khaṇḍa doive être, par moi, servie et vénérée à jamais ?»

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (how?)

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (विश्वम् इत्यस्य विशेषणवत्)

• जातम्: arose/came into being
• जातम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (has arisen/been born)

• कर्म-जाति-प्रकल्पितम्: arranged according to actions and classes
• कर्म-जाति-प्रकल्पितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकल्पित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (कर्मजात्या प्रकल्पितम्/कर्मजाति-निमित्तं प्रकल्पितम्)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (how?)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प/अन्यथा (or/indeed)

• भारत-खण्डम्: the Bhārata region/section
• भारत-खण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक) + खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भारतस्य खण्डम्)

• शुश्रूषेय: may I listen attentively (to)
• शुश्रूषेय: Kriya (Desiderative action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम् (शुश्रूष्-धात्वर्थे: to listen/serve attentively)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (always)

• मम: for me/of me
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

Speaker

Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhārata-khaṇḍa (as karma-bhūmi)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śrī Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Arjuna asks two profound questions: the origin of the universe ordered by karma and births, and why Bhārata-khaṇḍa deserves continual service; the scene blends philosophical inquiry with a subtle vision of cosmic order behind the hermitage.

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata-khaṇḍa
• Karma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse links cosmology with ethics: the world’s order is intelligible through karma, and Bhārata-khaṇḍa is to be approached with reverent service rooted in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is specified; the verse elevates Bhārata-khaṇḍa broadly as a sacred civilizational landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the emphasis is on śuśrūṣā—ongoing reverent service/attentiveness.