Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

चितां कारय मे भद्रे तव भृत्यैर्बलाधिकैः । शिवे मनः समावेश्य प्रविशामि हुताशनम्

Transliteration

citāṃ kāraya me bhadre tava bhṛtyairbalādhikaiḥ | śive manaḥ samāveśya praviśāmi hutāśanam

Translation

“ഭദ്രേ, നിന്റെ ബലവാനായ ഭൃത്യന്മാരാൽ എനിക്കൊരു ചിത ഒരുക്കിക്കൊടുക്കുക. ശിവനിൽ മനസ്സുറപ്പിച്ച് ഞാൻ ഹുതാശനത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിക്കും.”

Word by Word

• चिताम्: funeral pyre
• चिताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कारय: have (it) made
• कारय: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: cause to be made)

• मे: for me / my
• मे: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन (enclitic); मम/मह्यम्

• भद्रे: O good lady
• भद्रे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधनपदम्

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• भृत्यैः: by servants
• भृत्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• बलाधिकैः: stronger (ones)
• बलाधिकैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तृतीया-सम्बन्धे विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (बलात् अधिकाः = stronger)

• शिवे: in Śiva
• शिवे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; विषय/आश्रय (in Śiva)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समावेश्य: having fixed/absorbed
• समावेश्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-√विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive); ‘समावेशयित्वा’ (having fixed/immersed)

• प्रविशामि: I enter
• प्रविशामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√विश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• हुताशनम्: the fire
• हुताशनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + अशन्/अशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (हुतं अश्नाति इति = fire, ‘eater of offerings’)

Speaker

Vaiśya (merchant)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pyre being constructed by attendants; the merchant stands composed, eyes inward, hands in añjali or touching vibhūti, preparing to step toward the flames with mind fixed on Śiva.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Hutāśana (Fire)
• Vaiśya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse highlights single-pointed remembrance of Śiva even at death, portraying bhakti as the final refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named in this passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Preparation of a funeral pyre (citā) is mentioned, framed as the speaker’s intended self-immolation with Śiva-smaraṇa.