Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

ऋषय ऊचुः । प्रकृत्यन्तर्गतं सर्वं जगदेतच्चराचरम् । गणेशस्य पृथक्त्वं च कथं जातं तदुच्यताम्

Transliteration

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | prakṛtyantargataṃ sarvaṃ jagadetaccarācaram | gaṇeśasya pṛthaktvaṃ ca kathaṃ jātaṃ taducyatām

Translation

Les sages dirent : « Ce monde tout entier — le mobile et l’immobile — est contenu dans la Prakṛti. Comment donc Gaṇeśa en vint-il à posséder un statut distinct et séparé ? Veuillez l’expliquer. »

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• प्रकृत्यन्तर्गतं: contained within Prakṛti (nature)
• प्रकृत्यन्तर्गतं: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृति-अन्तर्गत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रकृतेः अन्तर्गतं), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; "सर्वम्"-विशेषण

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma/Viṣaya (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; collective

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Apposition/Viṣaya (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; "जगत्"-विशेषण

• चराचरम्: moving and unmoving
• चराचरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर-अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्वन्द्व (चरं च अचरं च), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; "जगत्"-विशेषण

• गणेशस्य: of Gaṇeśa
• गणेशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पृथक्त्वम्: separateness, distinctness
• पृथक्त्वम्: Karma/Viṣaya (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथक्त्व (प्रातिपदिक; भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prakāra (Manner/Question)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• जातम्: arisen, occurred
• जातम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/State (Resultant state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicative with "पृथक्त्वम्"

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; refers to the matter asked

• उच्यताम्: let it be told/explained
• उच्यताम्: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense): "let it be said"

Speaker

Ṛṣis (sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Lomaśa (implied respondent in the frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages in debate posture, palms joined or raised in inquiry; in the background, the hinted presence of Gaṇeśa and the liṅga, suggesting that metaphysical questions arise in the very midst of darśana.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Prakṛti
• Gaṇeśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even if all phenomena arise within Prakṛti, divinity can manifest with a unique role for guiding beings—hence the question about Gaṇeśa’s distinct status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kedāra (Kedarnath) in the Kedārakhaṇḍa, where sacred narratives establish the region’s greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is a doctrinal inquiry within the narrative.