Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

चतुर्विशतितत्त्वानि जातानीति पुरा विदुः । सदाशिवेन वै पुंसा तानि दृष्टानि भारत

Transliteration

caturviśatitattvāni jātānīti purā viduḥ | sadāśivena vai puṃsā tāni dṛṣṭāni bhārata

Translation

പുരാതന ഉപദേശപ്രകാരം ഇരുപത്തിനാലു തത്ത്വങ്ങൾ ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചതായി അറിയപ്പെടുന്നു. ഹേ ഭാരതാ, അവയെ സദാശിവസ്വരൂപനായ പരമപുരുഷൻ ദർശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• caturviśati-tattvāni: the twenty-four principles (tattvas)
• caturviśati-tattvāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturviśati (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; द्विगुसमास (संख्यापूर्वक-समाहार)

• jātāni: (have) arisen / were born
• jātāni: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु) → jāta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग—‘having arisen/being born’

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग (quotative particle)

• purā: formerly, in ancient times
• purā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• viduḥ: they knew / they have known
• viduḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• sadāśivena: by Sadāśiva
• sadāśivena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sadāśiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• puṃsā: by the person (male being)
• puṃsā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṃs (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• tāni: those (tattvas)
• tāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• dṛṣṭāni: were seen
• dṛṣṭāni: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) → dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग—‘were seen’

• bhārata: O Bhārata
• bhārata: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th), एकवचन

Speaker

Nārada

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sadāśiva as the luminous seer of principles: a serene, five-faced or radiant form, with subtle emanations representing tattvas as concentric categories or lotus-petals of creation.

Characters & Entities

• Sadāśiva
• Caturviṃśati-tattvas
• Bhārata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even philosophical categories are placed under divine sovereignty: Sadāśiva is presented as the supreme witness and knower of the cosmos.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.