Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

यया कृतिमिदं सर्वं गुणत्रयविभावितम् । एतच्चराचरं विश्वं नश्वरं परमार्थतः

Transliteration

yayā kṛtimidaṃ sarvaṃ guṇatrayavibhāvitam | etaccarācaraṃ viśvaṃ naśvaraṃ paramārthataḥ

Translation

Par Elle (Śakti), toute cette création manifestée est mise en mouvement par les trois guṇas. Pourtant, cet univers entier, mobile et immobile, est périssable selon la vérité suprême.

Word by Word

• yayā: by which (she/that)
• yayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (instrumental: 'by which/whom')

• kṛtim: creation; act of making
• kṛtim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• idam: this
• idam: Visheshya (Referent/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sarvam: all; entire
• sarvam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• guṇa-traya-vibhāvitam: influenced/conditioned by the three guṇas
• guṇa-traya-vibhāvitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक) + vibhāvita (कृदन्त; वि-√भू/√भाव्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त/क्तवत्-भाव), कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः ('गुणत्रयेन विभावितम्')

• etat: this
• etat: Visheshya (Referent/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• cara-acaram: moving and unmoving
• cara-acaram: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cara (प्रातिपदिक) + acara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरेतर): 'चरं च अचरं च'

• viśvam: universe
• viśvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• naśvaram: perishable
• naśvaram: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• paramārthataḥ: in ultimate reality; truly
• paramārthataḥ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paramārtha (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिलन्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb): 'from the standpoint of highest truth'

Speaker

Vyāsa (continuing Nandin’s doctrine)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: addressed to dvijas / noble interlocutor within Kedāra discourse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Himalayan Kedāra setting: sages contemplate the guṇa-woven cosmos—moving beings, mountains, rivers—while a subtle sense of impermanence pervades; the Liṅga is implied as the silent ground beyond change.

Characters & Entities

• Parā Śakti
• Guṇatraya (sattva-rajas-tamas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Creation functions through guṇas, but ultimate truth points to impermanence—encouraging dispassion and turning toward the transcendent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in the verse; within Kedārakhaṇḍa the teaching supports the sanctity of Kedāra as a place oriented to liberation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it frames the mindset for worship and renunciation.