Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

षोडशप्रकृतीस्तेन याथातथ्येन धीमता । सर्वे देवा यथार्थेन कृता वै विश्वकर्मणा

Transliteration

ṣoḍaśaprakṛtīstena yāthātathyena dhīmatā | sarve devā yathārthena kṛtā vai viśvakarmaṇā

Translation

Le sage façonna les seize principes de la création avec une exactitude parfaite; en vérité, tous les dieux furent réalisés par Viśvakarman tels qu’ils sont réellement.

Word by Word

• षोडशप्रकृतीः: the sixteen prakṛtis/principles
• षोडशप्रकृतीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षोडश + प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (षोडश प्रकृतयः = sixteen natures/principles)

• तेन: by him/with him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• याथातथ्येन: in proper order / as is fitting
• याथातथ्येन: Karana (Manner/Instrumental of manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याथातथ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (यथा + तथ्यम् → याथातथ्य = ‘as it truly is’, ‘in due order’)

• धीमता: by the wise one
• धीमता: Kartr-karana (Agent described; instrumental)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तेन इत्यस्य)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यथार्थेन: truly, in reality
• यथार्थेन: Karana (Manner/Instrumental of manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यथार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (यथा + अर्थः → ‘according to the true meaning/reality’)

• कृताः: were made/created
• कृताः: Karta (Predicate adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; (देवाः इत्यस्य विशेषण/विधेय)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक (particle: indeed)

• विश्वकर्मणा: by Viśvakarman
• विश्वकर्मणा: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विश्वस्य कर्मा = Viśvakarman)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (contextual attribution within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viśvakarman, the divine architect, is implied as crafting the sixteen constituents with exactness—visualize a cosmic workshop where subtle principles take form as luminous symbols around a sacred center.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvakarman
• Deva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred space is portrayed as aligned with cosmic truth—devotion is strengthened when the tīrtha is seen as a microcosm of the universe.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra, whose sanctity is expressed through cosmological completeness in the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes metaphysical and symbolic completeness.