Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

यद्ब्रह्म आद्यं प्रवदन्ति केचिद्यं सर्वमीशानमजं पुराणम् । तमेकरूपं तमनेकरूपमरूपमाद्यं परमव्ययाख्यम्

Transliteration

yadbrahma ādyaṃ pravadanti kecidyaṃ sarvamīśānamajaṃ purāṇam | tamekarūpaṃ tamanekarūpamarūpamādyaṃ paramavyayākhyam

Translation

ある者はそれを原初のブラフマンと説く。万有そのものであり、主（イーシャーナ）、不生にして太古なる彼を、人々は一相とも、多相とも、無相とも語る。原初にして至上、「不滅」と名づけられるお方である。

Word by Word

• yat: that which
• yat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (यद्-प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ādyam: primordial, first
• ādyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (brahma इति विशेष्य)

• pravadanti: proclaim
• pravadanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+vad (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• kecit: some (people)
• kecit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (some)

• yam: whom/which
• yam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (यद्-प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• sarvam: all, universal
• sarvam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (īśānam इति विशेष्य)

• īśānam: the Lord (Īśāna)
• īśānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ajam: unborn
• ajam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (īśānam इति विशेष्य)

• purāṇam: ancient
• purāṇam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (īśānam इति विशेष्य)

• tam: him/that
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; निर्देश (that)

• eka-rūpam: of one form
• eka-rūpam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (एकं रूपं यस्य)

• tam: him/that
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• aneka-rūpam: of many forms
• aneka-rūpam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aneka (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अनेकं रूपं यस्य)

• arūpam: formless
• arūpam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-समासान्त-विशेषण (formless)

• ādyam: primordial
• ādyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (tam इति विशेष्य)

• parama-avyaya-ākhyam: called the supreme imperishable
• parama-avyaya-ākhyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + avyaya (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (धातु) + kta/na? (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: 'परमं च अव्ययं च' इति अर्थे, 'आख्य' = 'नामधेय/उच्यते' (ākhyā-धातु-निष्पन्न)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Revā Khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic vision: Īśāna as a luminous center that alternates between a single serene form, multiple emanated forms filling the directions, and a formless radiance beyond outline; the universe appears as a subtle mandala within Him.

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Īśāna
• Avyaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme can be approached as one, many, or formless—yet remains the same imperishable reality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; it continues the metaphysical exposition within Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.