Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 163

Devanagari script

अस्माकं रक्षणे शक्त इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तदा । विमृश्य च तदा ब्रह्मा मनसा परमेण हि

Transliteration

asmākaṃ rakṣaṇe śakta ityākarṇya vacastadā | vimṛśya ca tadā brahmā manasā parameṇa hi

Translation

‘ಅವನು ನಮ್ಮ ರಕ್ಷಣೆಗೆ ಶಕ್ತನು’ ಎಂಬ ಮಾತುಗಳನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿ, ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನು ಆಗ ತನ್ನ ಪರಮ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನಿಂದ ಆಳವಾಗಿ ವಿಮರ್ಶಿಸಿದನು।

Word by Word

• अस्माकम्: of us / our
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), बहुवचनम्

• रक्षणे: in (the matter of) protection
• रक्षणे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्

• शक्तः: capable
• शक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; वाक्य-समाप्त्यर्थक/उद्धरण-निपातः (quotative)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कर्ण् (कर्ण्/श्रु-अर्थे; धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्तः (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययम्; 'having heard'

• वचः: the words
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-अव्ययम्

• विमृश्य: having considered
• विमृश्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + मृश् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्तः (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययम्; 'having reflected'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-अव्ययम्

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• मनसा: with (his) mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• परमेण: supreme, excellent
• परमेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with मनसा)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक-निपातः (indeed/for)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā listens to the devas’ plea and becomes inwardly absorbed, eyes half-closed, contemplating the cause and remedy with serene gravity.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When protection is sought, one should turn the mind toward the Supreme with careful discernment and faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kedārakhaṇḍa (Himalayan sacred geography), though this verse itself sets up the move toward Kṣīrābdhi.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it is a narrative moment of deliberation preceding action.