Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

पीठमामंत्र्य मंत्रेण प्राणायामान्समाचरेत् । संकल्पं प्रवदेत्तत्र शिवाग्रे विहितांजलिः

Transliteration

pīṭhamāmaṃtrya maṃtreṇa prāṇāyāmānsamācaret | saṃkalpaṃ pravadettatra śivāgre vihitāṃjaliḥ

Translation

മന്ത്രം ചൊല്ലി പീഠത്തെ ആമന്ത്രിച്ച് പ്രാണായാമം അനുഷ്ഠിക്കണം। തുടർന്ന് ശിവസന്നിധിയിൽ കൈകൂപ്പി സംकल्पം പ്രസ്താവിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• पीठम्: the pedestal/seat
• पीठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• आमन्त्र्य: having invoked
• आमन्त्र्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-मन्त्र् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having invoked/addressed’

• मन्त्रेण: with a mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• प्राणायामान्: breath-control practices
• प्राणायामान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणायाम (प्रातिपदिक; प्राण + आयाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• समाचरेत्: should perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative 3rd sg ‘should perform’

• संकल्पम्: the resolve/vow (saṅkalpa)
• संकल्पम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• प्रवदेत्: should declare
• प्रवदेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र- वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative 3rd sg ‘should utter/declare’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• शिवाग्रे: before Śiva
• शिवाग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवाग्र (प्रातिपदिक; शिव + अग्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular ‘in front of Śiva’

• विहिताञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• विहिताञ्जलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विहिताञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक; विहित + अञ्जलि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; ‘with hands joined’

Speaker

Unknown (narrative instruction within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotee seated in padmāsana on a clean mat, eyes half-closed, performing prāṇāyāma; then hands in añjali facing the Śiva-liṅga, speaking saṅkalpa; the pīṭha is freshly invoked and adorned.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worship is strengthened by conscious intention and breath-discipline, turning action into deliberate sādhanā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular holy site is cited; this is a general instruction for Śiva worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Invoke the pīṭha with mantra, perform prāṇāyāma, and state the saṅkalpa before Śiva with folded hands.