Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16
Devanagari script
स आत्मभूः सृजद्विश्वं चतुर्भिर्वदनैर्विराट् । ससर्ज वेदांश्चतुरो लोकानां स्थितिहेतवे
Transliteration
sa ātmabhūḥ sṛjadviśvaṃ caturbhirvadanairvirāṭ | sasarja vedāṃścaturo lokānāṃ sthitihetave
Translation
ആ ആത്മഭൂ വിരാട് ബ്രഹ്മാവ് നാലു മുഖങ്ങളാൽ വിശ്വം സൃഷ്ടിച്ചു; ലോകങ്ങളുടെ സ്ഥിരതയ്ക്കായി നാലു വേദങ്ങളും പ്രസിദ്ധമാക്കി.
Word by Word
saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
ātmabhūḥthe self-born (Brahmā)
ātmabhūḥ:
Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक) + bhū (भू धातु/भू-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (आत्मना/स्वयम् भूः = स्वयम्भूः)
sṛjatcreating
sṛjat:
Karta (Agent-participle)
TypeVerb
Root√sṛj (सृज् धातु) (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी; ‘सृजन्’ = creating
viśvamthe universe
viśvam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootviśva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन
caturbhiḥwith four
caturbhiḥ:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootcatur (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण
vadanaiḥwith faces/mouths
vadanaiḥ:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootvadana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन
virāṭVirāṭ (the cosmic being)
virāṭ:
Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootvirāj (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषनाम
sasarjacreated
sasarja:
Kriya (Action)
TypeVerb
Root√sṛj (सृज् धातु)
Formलिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी
vedānthe Vedas
vedān:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootveda (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन
caand
ca:
Sambandha (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)
caturofour
caturo:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootcatur (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन (वैकल्पिक रूप: चतुरः/चतुरो)
lokānāmof the worlds
lokānām:
Sambandha (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootloka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन
sthitihetavefor the purpose/cause of stability
sthitihetave:
Sampradana (Purpose/चतुर्थी)
TypeNoun
Rootsthiti (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्थितेः हेतुः)
Speaker
Muni (continuing instruction to the king)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Four-faced Brahmā as Virāṭ seated on lotus, emanating the four Vedas as radiant streams or manuscripts from the four mouths; the cosmos unfolding around him in ordered layers (lokas).
Characters & Entities
B
BrahmāV
VirāṭV
VedasFAQs
The Vedas arise to uphold cosmic order; dharma is presented as the stabilizing law of the worlds.
No tīrtha is named in this verse.
None directly; the verse explains the purpose of the Vedas as sustaining the worlds.