Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अलक्ष्यमिति वा मत्वा महेशानं महामते । ततः किमर्थ दाशार्हं न स्तौषि पुरुषोत्तमम्

Transliteration

alakṣyamiti vā matvā maheśānaṃ mahāmate | tataḥ kimartha dāśārhaṃ na stauṣi puruṣottamam

Translation

Atau, wahai yang berhati agung, bila engkau menganggap Maheśāna tak terjangkau oleh penglihatan, maka mengapa engkau tidak memuji Dāśārha, Puruṣottama, Pribadi Tertinggi?

Word by Word

• अलक्ष्यम्: not perceivable, not to be seen
• अलक्ष्यम्: Karma (Object-complement/कर्मपूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-लक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (महेशानम् इत्यादि प्रति ‘अलक्ष्यम्’ इति भावः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• मत्वा: having thought/considered
• मत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• महेशानम्: Maheśāna (Śiva)
• महेशानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• ततः: then/therefore
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्-अर्थक-अव्यय (thereafter/therefore)

• किमर्थ: why
• किमर्थ: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किमर्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (why?); पदान्त-लोप (किमर्थम् → किमर्थ)

• दाशार्हम्: Dāśārha (Kṛṣṇa)
• दाशार्हम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाशार्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• स्तौषि: you praise
• स्तौषि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पुरुषोत्तमम्: Puruṣottama (the Supreme Person)
• पुरुषोत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced; Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dāśārha/Puruṣottama (Kṛṣṇa-associated sacred network)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahāmati (addressed) / Yudhiṣṭhira contextually

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A theological fork: the teacher gestures to an unseen, formless Maheśāna (suggested by empty luminous space) and then to a visible Puruṣottama (Kṛṣṇa/Vāsudeva) icon, urging praise rather than excuses.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśāna
• Dāśārha
• Puruṣottama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

If one hesitates to praise the unseen Śiva, one should at least praise the manifest Supreme Lord (Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu); devotion should not be withheld.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is identified; the focus is on deity-praise and theological orientation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Stotra (praise) of Maheśāna and/or Puruṣottama is implied.