Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5
Devanagari script
अक्षप्रमाणमुभयोः प्रमाणं तद्युगार्द्धयोः । ह्रस्वोऽक्षस्तद्युगार्द्धं च ध्रुवाधारं रथस्य वै
Transliteration
akṣapramāṇamubhayoḥ pramāṇaṃ tadyugārddhayoḥ | hrasvo'kṣastadyugārddhaṃ ca dhruvādhāraṃ rathasya vai
Translation
ഇരുവശ അക്ഷങ്ങളുടെ അളവുതന്നെ അവയുടെ അർദ്ധ-യുഗങ്ങളുടെ അളവുമാണ്. ഹ്രസ്വ അക്ഷവും ആ അർദ്ധ-യുഗവും തന്നെയാണ് രഥത്തിന്റെ ധ്രുവാധാരം, സ്ഥിരാധാരം.
Word by Word
अक्षप्रमाणम्the measure of the axle
अक्षप्रमाणम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअक्ष + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अक्षस्य प्रमाणम्)
उभयोःof both
उभयोः:
Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypePronoun
Rootउभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Form(सर्वनाम) पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन
प्रमाणम्measure; standard
प्रमाणम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन
तत्of that
तत्:
Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypePronoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपदत्वेन ‘तद्-’
युगार्द्धयोःof the two halves of the yoke
युगार्द्धयोः:
Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootयुग + अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष (युगस्य अर्द्धम्)
ह्रस्वःshort
ह्रस्वः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootह्रस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण
अक्षःaxle
अक्षः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
तत्that
तत्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypePronoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपदत्वेन ‘तद्-’
युगार्द्धम्half of the yoke
युगार्द्धम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootयुग + अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (युगस्य अर्द्धम्)
चand
च:
Sambandha/Avyaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक
ध्रुवाधारम्the fixed support
ध्रुवाधारम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootध्रुव + आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (ध्रुवः आधारः)
रथस्यof the chariot
रथस्य:
Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात
Speaker
Nārada (continuing)
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Pāṇḍava
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A chariot diagram where the shorter axle and half-yoke are highlighted as the ‘fixed support’; Dhruva (Pole Star) subtly shown above as a visual metaphor for stability.
Characters & Entities
D
Dhruvādhāra (fixed support)R
Ratha (chariot)FAQs
Even cosmic motion rests on an unmoving support—an image often resonant with dharma as the steady foundation.
None; the verse is technical cosmography.
None.