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

毗婆婆梨よ、神々に関わる大いなる事が起こった。これを成し遂げるのは汝である、女神よ――この務めの決意を今聞け。

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.