Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

भ्रामयस्यखिलं विश्वं यन्त्रारूढं स्वमायया । येन विभ्रामिता मूढाः समायाताः स्वयंवरम्

Transliteration

bhrāmayasyakhilaṃ viśvaṃ yantrārūḍhaṃ svamāyayā | yena vibhrāmitā mūḍhāḥ samāyātāḥ svayaṃvaram

Translation

സ്വമയായാൽ യന്ത്രാരൂഢമായതുപോലെ നീ സർവ്വവിശ്വത്തെയും ചുറ്റിക്കുന്നു. അതേ ശക്തിയാൽ ഞങ്ങൾ മൂഢർ ഭ്രമിതരായി ഈ സ്വയംവരത്തിലേക്ക് എത്തി.

Word by Word

• भ्रामयसि: you cause to whirl/delude
• भ्रामयसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) + णिच्
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative, 2nd person, Singular; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• अखिलम्: entire
• अखिलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विश्वम्: universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यन्त्रारूढम्: mounted on a mechanism
• यन्त्रारूढम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यन्त्र + आरूढ (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Past participle ‘आरूढ’ (आ-रुह् + क्त) in तत्पुरुष-समास (‘यन्त्रे आरूढम्’ = mounted on a machine)

• स्वमायया: by your own māyā
• स्वमायया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Instrumental, Singular; कर्मधारय (‘स्वा माया’)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Instrumental, Singular

• विभ्रामिताः: thoroughly deluded
• विभ्रामिताः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-भ्रम् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) causative; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मूढाः: the fools
• मूढाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समायाताः: having come/arrived
• समायाताः: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-या (धातु) + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Past participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वयंवरम्: to the svayaṃvara (bride-choosing ceremony)
• स्वयंवरम्: Karma (Goal/object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयंवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (‘स्वयं व्रियते/वर्यते यत्र’)

Speaker

Devāḥ (the gods), attributing their confusion to māyā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: the universe depicted as a great wheel or mechanism, with beings moving as if mounted on a device; above or within it, the Lord’s subtle presence governs through māyā, while the speakers confess their bewilderment arriving at a svayaṃvara.

Characters & Entities

• Māyā
• Svayaṃvara
• Viśva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Māyā can bewilder all; seeing the world as ‘yantra-like’ encourages detachment and seeking the Lord beyond illusion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is philosophical, framed within the svayaṃvara narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicit; the implied practice is discernment (viveka) and devotion to transcend māyā.