Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

धराधरणसामर्थ्यं मेर्वादौ पूर्वपूरुषैः । वर्ण्यते समुदायात्तदहमेको दधे धराम्

Transliteration

dharādharaṇasāmarthyaṃ mervādau pūrvapūruṣaiḥ | varṇyate samudāyāttadahameko dadhe dharām

Translation

ഭൂമിയെ ധരിക്കുന്ന ശക്തി മേരുവാദി പർവ്വതങ്ങളിൽ പൂർവ്വപുരുഷന്മാർ കൂട്ടായ മഹിമയായി പുകഴ്ത്തുന്നു; എന്നാൽ ഭൂമിയെ ധരിക്കുന്നത് ഞാൻ ഒരുത്തനേയാണ്.

Word by Word

• धराधरणसामर्थ्यम्: the power to bear the earth
• धराधरणसामर्थ्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धराधरण-सामर्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास: धरा + धरण + सामर्थ्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘पृथ्वी-धारण-शक्ति’

• मेर्वादौ: in Meru and others (mountains)
• मेर्वादौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास: मेरु + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरणे (in/at)

• पूर्वपूरुषैः: by the former men/ancients
• पूर्वपूरुषैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व-पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक; समास: पूर्व + पुरुष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; कर्तृ/करणवाचक (by the ancients)

• वर्ण्यते: is described
• वर्ण्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• समुदायात्: from the collection/assembly
• समुदायात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुदाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; अपादान (from/out of)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एकः: alone
• एकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• दधे: I bore/held
• दधे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्ष/परिपूर्ण भूत), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• धराम्: the earth
• धराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

Speaker

Vindhya

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis / internal audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: towering mountains in layered perspective, with one central bearer-mountain emphasized as uniquely supporting the earth; sages of old gesturing in praise.

Characters & Entities

• Meru
• Vindhya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-exaltation and rivalry distort dharma; greatness is not proved by boasting but by steadiness, restraint, and service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is named; the verse sets up a moral episode that supports the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader sacred-geography narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.