Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

अहंकारश्च महता तं चापि प्रकृतिः परा । दशोत्तराणि सर्वाणि षडाहुः सप्तमं च तत्

Transliteration

ahaṃkāraśca mahatā taṃ cāpi prakṛtiḥ parā | daśottarāṇi sarvāṇi ṣaḍāhuḥ saptamaṃ ca tat

Translation

ಅಹಂಕಾರವನ್ನು ಮಹತ್ತತ್ತ್ವ ಆವರಿಸುತ್ತದೆ; ಮಹತ್ತತ್ತ್ವವನ್ನು ಪರಮ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿ ಆವರಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಇವೆಲ್ಲವೂ ಪ್ರಮಾಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಹತ್ತುಪಟ್ಟು ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗಿವೆ; ಇಂತಹ ಆರು ಆವರಣಗಳೆಂದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ, ಮತ್ತು ಆ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿ ಏಳನೆಯದು।

Word by Word

• अहंकारः: ego-principle (ahaṃkāra)
• अहंकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); समासः—अहम् + कार (तत्पुरुष: ‘I-maker’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महता: by/with Mahat (the Great principle)
• महता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक/पुं (तत्त्व-नाम), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental, Singular); ‘महत्तत्त्व’ (the Great principle)

• तम्: that (it)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक (सन्दर्भानुसार), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अप्यर्थे/समुच्चये (also)

• प्रकृतिः: Prakṛti (primordial nature)
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• परा: supreme, higher
• परा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular); प्रकृतिः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दशोत्तराणि: the tenfold (ones/layers)
• दशोत्तराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशोत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Plural); समासः—दश + उत्तर (तत्पुरुष)

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Plural); दशोत्तराणि इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• षट्: six
• षट्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनार्थे अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (numeral ‘six’)

• आहुः: they say, they declare
• आहुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd person plural); परस्मैपद

• सप्तमम्: the seventh
• सप्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular); क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्: that (as such)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative diagram-like scene: concentric subtle spheres labeled (ahaṃkāra inside mahat inside prakṛti), with a meditating sage/warrior-listener at the edge; prakṛti shown as a vast dark-gold matrix, mahat as luminous intellect, ahaṃkāra as a small bright knot.

Characters & Entities

• Ahaṃkāra
• Mahat
• Prakṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Beyond gross elements lie subtler principles (ahaṃkāra, mahat, prakṛti); liberation implies transcending these layers through right knowledge and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; this verse is metaphysical/cosmological.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.