Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

तदद्भुतं महद्दृष्ट्वा नैव विप्रो विसिष्मिये । यतो बहुविधं चित्रं भवेद्भूताद्युपासिषु

Transliteration

tadadbhutaṃ mahaddṛṣṭvā naiva vipro visiṣmiye | yato bahuvidhaṃ citraṃ bhavedbhūtādyupāsiṣu

Translation

ಆ ಮಹದದ್ಭುತವನ್ನು ಕಂಡರೂ ಆ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣನು ಏನೂ ಆಶ್ಚರ್ಯಪಡಲಿಲ್ಲ; ಏಕೆಂದರೆ ಭೂತಾದಿಗಳನ್ನು ಪೂಜಿಸುವವರಲ್ಲಿ ಅನೇಕ ವಿಧದ ವಿಚಿತ್ರ ಚಮತ್ಕಾರಗಳು ಸಂಭವಿಸುತ್ತವೆ.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Acc. sg.); अद्भुतम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अद्भुतम्: wonder, marvel
• अद्भुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Acc. sg.)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Acc. sg.); अद्भुतम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having seen’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle: ‘indeed/just’)

• विप्रः: the brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom. sg.)

• विसिष्मिये: marvelled, was astonished
• विसिष्मिये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-श्मि (धातु: श्मि/श्मय् ‘to wonder’)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय/सम्बन्धबोधक (indeclinable: ‘because/for’)

• बहुविधम्: manifold, of many kinds
• बहुविधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom. sg.); चित्रम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (बहूनि विधाः यस्य)

• चित्रम्: wonder, marvel (variegated phenomenon)
• चित्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom. sg.)

• भवेत्: may occur, can happen
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भूतादि: spirits and the like
• भूतादि: Sambandha (Qualifier within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूपेण (stem in compound); ‘bhūta and the like’ (ādi = etc.)

• उपासिषु: among worshippers/servants
• उपासिषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपासि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Loc. pl.); ‘among worshippers/attendants’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa watches a newly formed lake without surprise—calm eyes, steady posture—while others might gape; the miracle-worker stands nearby, expecting admiration.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Do not mistake paranormal wonders for spiritual authority; dharma is judged by right teaching and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is mentioned; the verse contrasts marvels with dharmic discernment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it offers an evaluative principle: marvels may arise even in questionable worship, so one should not be swayed.