Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवैर्नित्यं पूजितायाघनाशिने । यदि मुद्रां भवान्धर्म परित्यक्ष्यति कर्हिचित्

Transliteration

brahmaviṣṇuśivairnityaṃ pūjitāyāghanāśine | yadi mudrāṃ bhavāndharma parityakṣyati karhicit

Translation

Ô Dharma, destructeur des fautes, toujours adoré par Brahmā, Viṣṇu et Śiva : si jamais tu devais délaisser ton mudrā, ton sceau d’autorité…

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवैः: by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva
• ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + विष्णु + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (समाहार/इतरेतर-प्रयोगः)

• नित्यं: always
• नित्यं: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पूजिताय: to the one who is worshipped
• पूजिताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूजित (कृदन्त; √पूज् (धातु))
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• अघनाशिने: to the destroyer of sin
• अघनाशिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ + नाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अघस्य नाशः यस्य)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक-सम्बन्धबोधक (conditional particle)

• मुद्रां: the seal/gesture (mudrā)
• मुद्रां: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• भवान्: you (honored)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम-शब्दः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; आदरार्थक-प्रयोगः (honorific ‘you’)

• धर्म: O Dharma
• धर्म: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• परित्यक्ष्यति: will abandon
• परित्यक्ष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कर्हिचित्: ever/at any time
• कर्हिचित्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्हिचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Narrator/Devotee voice within the episode (contextual; addressing Dharma directly)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dharma (personified)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A reverent speaker addresses personified Dharma, envisioned with a radiant insignia/seal, while the Trimūrti are shown as perpetual worshippers; the mood is urgent—if Dharma withdraws, the cosmos trembles.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is supreme and universally revered; the stability of the world depends on Dharma’s sustaining authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it reinforces the cosmic stature of Dharma within the broader māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit devotion: Dharma is to be worshipped as sin-destroying (agha-nāśin), following the model of the Trimūrti.