Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

धारणास्थस्य यद्ध्येयं तस्य त्वं शृणु लक्षणम् । ध्येयं बहुविधं पार्थ यस्यांतो नोपलभ्यते

Transliteration

dhāraṇāsthasya yaddhyeyaṃ tasya tvaṃ śṛṇu lakṣaṇam | dhyeyaṃ bahuvidhaṃ pārtha yasyāṃto nopalabhyate

Translation

Écoute de ma bouche le signe distinctif de l’objet de méditation pour celui qui demeure établi dans la dhāraṇā. L’objet à contempler est de maintes sortes, ô Pārtha, et sa limite ne peut être pleinement saisie.

Word by Word

• dhāraṇā-sthasya: of one established in dhāraṇā
• dhāraṇā-sthasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhāraṇā + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुष: ‘of one who is in dhāraṇā’

• yat: which; what
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (sg.) (relative pronoun)

• dhyeyam: the object to be meditated on
• dhyeyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhyai (धातु) → dhyeya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive): ‘to be meditated upon’

• tasya: of that
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (m./n.), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (sg.)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.) (addressed), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• śṛṇu: hear; listen
• śṛṇu: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• lakṣaṇam: the characteristic; definition
• lakṣaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

• dhyeyam: the object of meditation
• dhyeyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhyai (धातु) → dhyeya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• bahuvidham: of many kinds
• bahuvidham: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘many-kinded’

• pārtha: O Pārtha
• pārtha: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (sg.)

• yasya: of which
• yasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (n./m.), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (sg.) (relative)

• antaḥ: end; limit
• antaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• upalabhyate: is perceived; is found
• upalabhyate: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + labh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive): ‘is obtained/perceived’

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative style)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Teacher addressing a disciple (‘Pārtha’), gesturing toward a vast sky-like expanse filled with multiple divine symbols, indicating that the dhyeya can be many yet ultimately boundless.

Characters & Entities

• Pārtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Meditation requires a clearly understood dhyeya, yet the supreme object is ultimately boundless and not fully circumscribed by thought.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is yogic definition rather than sthala-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external rite is prescribed; the instruction concerns inner discipline—defining the dhyeya for dhāraṇā.