Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

विभावरि महाकार्यं विबुधानामुपस्थितम् । तत्कर्तव्यं त्वया देवि श्रृणु कार्यस्य निश्चयम्

Transliteration

vibhāvari mahākāryaṃ vibudhānāmupasthitam | tatkartavyaṃ tvayā devi śrṛṇu kāryasya niścayam

Translation

Wahai Vibhāvarī, suatu tugas agung menyangkut para dewa telah muncul. Wahai Dewi, hal itu harus engkau laksanakan—dengarkan ketetapan niat atas karya ini.

Word by Word

• vibhāvari: O Vibhāvarī (O Night)
• vibhāvari: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhāvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahākāryam: a great task
• mahākāryam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महच्च तत् कार्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vibudhānām: of the gods
• vibudhānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• upasthitam: has arisen; is present
• upasthitam: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-sthā (धातु) → upasthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘उपस्थित’ — नपुंसकलिङ्ग, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘महाकार्यम्’ विशेषण

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); ‘कर्तव्यम्’ विशेषण

• kartavyam: must be done; to be done
• kartavyam: Karya (Obligation/कार्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) → kartavya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्) — नपुंसकलिङ्ग, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); विधेय (to be done)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-instr/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• devi: O Goddess
• devi: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• śṛṇu: hear; listen
• śṛṇu: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• kāryasya: of the task
• kāryasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• niścayam: the decision; determination
• niścayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā addresses Rātri with authoritative calm, outlining a great task for the gods. The scene is intimate yet charged, like a council before a cosmic campaign.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Vibhāvarī (Night)
• Vibudha (Devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is protected through delegated divine responsibilities—each cosmic power has a role in restoring balance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the focus is on divine instruction rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.