Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 198

Devanagari script

एको वेदश्चतुष्पादैः क्रियते द्विजहेतवे । इतिहासपुराणानि भिद्यंते लोकगौरवात्

Transliteration

eko vedaścatuṣpādaiḥ kriyate dvijahetave | itihāsapurāṇāni bhidyaṃte lokagauravāt

Translation

Demi kepentingan kaum dvija, satu Veda dijadikan berkaki empat (empat bagian). Dan demi kemuliaan serta tuntunan bagi dunia, Itihāsa dan Purāṇa pun dibedakan menjadi ragam bentuk.

Word by Word

• एकः: one
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वेदः: Veda
• वेदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• चतुष्पादैः: with four pādas (quarters)
• चतुष्पादैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुस् + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); द्विगु/संख्यापूर्वक-तत्पुरुष-स्वभावः (‘four-footed/with four pādas’)

• क्रियते: is made / is arranged
• क्रियते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• द्विजहेतवे: for the sake of the twice-born
• द्विजहेतवे: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: द्विजानां हेतवे (‘for the sake of the twice-born’)

• इतिहासपुराणानि: the Itihāsas and Purāṇas
• इतिहासपुराणानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिहास + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); इतिहासनां च पुराणानां च समाहार-द्वन्द्वः

• भिद्यन्ते: are divided
• भिद्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भिद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• लोकगौरवात्: because of worldly esteem / for the people’s reverence
• लोकगौरवात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: लोकस्य गौरवात् (‘due to the esteem of the people/world’)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: one radiant Veda becomes four; beside it, branching scrolls labeled Itihāsa and Purāṇa spreading toward towns and pilgrims.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• dvija
• Itihāsa
• Purāṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Revelation adapts in form for accessibility: Veda is organized, and Purāṇa–Itihāsa traditions are classified to support dharma in the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the theme is the authority and organization of sacred literature.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it concerns scriptural structure, not a specific ritual.