Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

ततः स्वभावकालाभ्यां स्वरूपाभ्यां समीरितम् । ईक्षणेनैव प्रकृतेर्महत्तत्त्वमजायत

Transliteration

tataḥ svabhāvakālābhyāṃ svarūpābhyāṃ samīritam | īkṣaṇenaiva prakṛtermahattattvamajāyata

Translation

അനന്തരം സ്വഭാവവും കാലവും—തത്തത്ത സ്വരൂപപ്രകാരം പ്രേരിപ്പിക്കുമ്പോൾ, കേവലം ഈക്ഷണമാത്രത്താൽ പ്രകൃതിയിൽ നിന്ന് മഹത്തത്ത്വം ഉദിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (thereupon/then)

• स्वभावकालाभ्याम्: by nature and time
• स्वभावकालाभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वभाव + काल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (स्वभावः च कालः च)

• स्वरूपाभ्याम्: by (their) own forms
• स्वरूपाभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन

• समीरितम्: was set in motion / impelled
• समीरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + ईर् (धातु) → समीरित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (impelled/activated)

• ईक्षणेन: by (mere) seeing/glance
• ईक्षणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• प्रकृतेः: of Prakṛti
• प्रकृतेः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• महत्तत्त्वम्: the great principle (Mahat-tattva)
• महत्तत्त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महत् तत्त्वम्)

• अजायत: arose, was born
• अजायत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A subtle vibration passes through the dark matrix of prakṛti; a luminous ‘glance’ descends like a thin beam; from it condenses Mahat as a radiant, orderly sphere or lotus of intelligence emerging from the cosmic waters.

Characters & Entities

• Prakṛti
• Kāla
• Mahat-tattva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The cosmos unfolds through lawful principles—time, inherent nature, and intentionality—implying a meaningful, dharma-aligned order in existence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is part of the cosmological preface.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.