Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

संस्तूय विविधैर्वाक्यैर्मातरं समभाषत । धन्योऽहं देवि यो लप्स्ये मानुष्यमतिदुर्लभम्

Transliteration

saṃstūya vividhairvākyairmātaraṃ samabhāṣata | dhanyo'haṃ devi yo lapsye mānuṣyamatidurlabham

Translation

അവൻ പലവിധ വചനങ്ങളാൽ മാതാവിനെ സ്തുതിച്ചു പറഞ്ഞു— “ഹേ ദേവീ! ഞാൻ ധന്യൻ; അത്യന്തം ദുർലഭമായ മനുഷ്യജന്മം എനിക്ക് ലഭിക്കും।”

Word by Word

• संस्तूय: having praised
• संस्तूय: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier of main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + स्तु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातु: स्तु, उपसर्ग: सम्; अर्थ: ‘having praised’

• विविधैः: with various
• विविधैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• वाक्यैः: by sentences/words
• वाक्यैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• समभाषत: spoke to/addressed
• समभाषत: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धन्यः: blessed/fortunate
• धन्यः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

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

• देवि: O goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject of relative clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• लप्स्ये: I will obtain
• लप्स्ये: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मानुष्यम्: human state/birth
• मानुष्यम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अतिदुर्लभम्: very hard to obtain
• अतिदुर्लभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मानुष्यम्-विशेषण)

Speaker

Vīraka speaking to Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee or attendant, hands folded, offers elaborate praise to the Mother Goddess, expressing joy at the prospect of attaining a human birth; the Devī is serene, maternal, and radiant.

Characters & Entities

• Vīraka
• Devī (Mother)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human birth is a rare spiritual opportunity; gratitude and devotion should accompany divine blessings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage belongs to Arbuda/Arbudācala māhātmya, where merit ripens into spiritual opportunity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Stuti (praise) of the Goddess is highlighted as a devotional act.