Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

शिष्योऽहं भवता पाठ्यं कर्णधारं महामुनिम् । अपारपारदं विष्णुं विप्रमूर्तिमुपाश्रितम्

Transliteration

śiṣyo'haṃ bhavatā pāṭhyaṃ karṇadhāraṃ mahāmunim | apārapāradaṃ viṣṇuṃ vipramūrtimupāśritam

Translation

Aku adalah muridmu—wahai Mahāmuni, ajarilah aku. Aku berlindung pada Viṣṇu, sang juru kemudi yang menyeberangkan dari samudra saṃsāra yang tak bertepi, yang di sini didekati dalam wujud seorang brāhmaṇa.

Word by Word

• śiṣyaḥ: disciple
• śiṣyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhavatā: by you (sir)
• bhavatā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• pāṭhyam: to be taught / teachable
• pāṭhyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāṭhya (प्रातिपदिक; √paṭh (धातु) से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• karṇadhāram: helmsman; guide
• karṇadhāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇadhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• mahāmunim: the great sage
• mahāmunim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• apārapāradam: giver of the far shore of the endless (i.e., who helps cross the boundless)
• apārapāradam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apāra + pāra + da (प्रातिपदिक; √dā (धातु) ‘to give’ से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• vipramūrtim: one whose form is that of a brāhmaṇa
• vipramūrtim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• upāśritam: resorted to; taken refuge in
• upāśritam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√śri (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating within Māheśvara-khaṇḍa to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble seeker bows before a great sage; behind them, a vast ocean symbolizes saṃsāra, while Viṣṇu is subtly suggested as a brāhmaṇa-ferryman holding a staff and water-pot, indicating divine guidance in human form.

Characters & Entities

• Gālava
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching a true teacher with humility leads one toward liberation; the Divine is the ultimate guide across saṃsāra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular place is named; the verse uses the ocean-crossing metaphor for spiritual passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it is a formal request for instruction and refuge.