Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 186

Devanagari script

मूर्ध्नि बद्धांजलिं धीमानैतरेयोऽथ तुष्टुवे

Transliteration

mūrdhni baddhāṃjaliṃ dhīmānaitareyo'tha tuṣṭuve

Translation

បន្ទាប់មក អៃតរេយៈ អ្នកប្រាជ្ញ បានដាក់ដៃប្រណម្យ (អញ្ជលី) លើក្បាល ហើយចាប់ផ្តើមសរសើរព្រះអម្ចាស់ដោយបទស្តូត្រ។

Word by Word

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• बद्ध: bound, joined
• बद्ध: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु) → बद्ध (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अञ्जलिम्: folded hands (añjali)
• अञ्जलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• धीमान्: the wise one
• धीमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ऐतरेयः: Aitareya (name)
• ऐतरेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐतरेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• तुष्टुवे: praised
• तुष्टुवे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta) describing Aitareya (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Aitareya, a serene ṛṣi, stands or kneels with joined palms raised to the crown of his head, eyes lowered in devotion, beginning a hymn before an unseen or subtly indicated divine presence.

Characters & Entities

• Aitareya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility and reverence (añjali) are foundational to stuti; devotion begins with surrender of ego before the Divine.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified; the verse sets the posture and mood for a hymn within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The devotional gesture of añjali (joined palms), especially held at the head as a sign of supreme reverence.