Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । कृतार्थं मां कुरु गुरो संप्राप्तं करुणार्द्रधीः । शैवीं पंचाक्षरीं विद्यामुपदेष्टुं त्वमर्हसि

Transliteration

rājovāca | kṛtārthaṃ māṃ kuru guro saṃprāptaṃ karuṇārdradhīḥ | śaivīṃ paṃcākṣarīṃ vidyāmupadeṣṭuṃ tvamarhasi

Translation

രാജാവ് പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ഗുരുദേവ, എന്നെ കൃതാർത്ഥനാക്കണമേ. കരുണയാൽ ആർദ്രമായ മനസ്സോടെ നിങ്ങൾ ഇവിടെ വന്നിരിക്കുന്നു; അതിനാൽ ശൈവ പഞ്ചാക്ഷരി വിദ്യ എനിക്ക് ഉപദേശിക്കുവാൻ നിങ്ങൾ അർഹനാണ്।

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कृतार्थम्: fulfilled/successful
• कृतार्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतार्थ (प्रातिपदिक; कृत+अर्थ)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (कृतः अर्थः यस्य/कृतः अर्थः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (माम्)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कुरु: make (do)
• कुरु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गुरो: O teacher
• गुरो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• संप्राप्तम्: having come/arrived (to you)
• संप्राप्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (माम्)

• करुणार्द्रधीः: whose mind is softened by compassion
• करुणार्द्रधीः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करुणा (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः (करुणया आर्द्रा धीः यस्य) बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः; विशेषण (अहम्/माम्-सम्बद्धः)

• शैवीम्: Śaiva (of Śiva)
• शैवीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (विद्याम्)

• पञ्चाक्षरीम्: five-syllabled
• पञ्चाक्षरीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षरिन्/अक्षरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (पञ्च अक्षराणि यस्याः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (विद्याम्)

• विद्याम्: the sacred knowledge/mantra-teaching
• विद्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उपदेष्टुम्: to teach
• उपदेष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-दिश् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), ‘to instruct’

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अर्हसि: are worthy/should
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

King

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, hands folded, earnestly requests the Śaiva pañcākṣarī; the guru’s face softens with compassion, suggesting imminent initiation; the queen stands in reverent support.

Characters & Entities

• King
• Garga
• Śiva
• Pañcākṣarī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Life’s fulfillment is linked to receiving Śiva-mantra instruction through the guru’s compassionate grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named here; the verse foregrounds mantra-dīkṣā rather than a location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upadeśa (formal instruction) of the Śaiva Pañcākṣarī vidyā is requested—implying initiation and disciplined japa.