Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

वाक्प्रवृत्तिप्रदोद्गारे प्रयत्ने सर्वकर्मणाम् । आकंठसुरसंस्थानमुदानस्य प्रकीर्त्यते

Transliteration

vākpravṛttipradodgāre prayatne sarvakarmaṇām | ākaṃṭhasurasaṃsthānamudānasya prakīrtyate

Translation

വാക്കിന്റെ പ്രവൃത്തി, ഏമ്പക്കം, കൂടാതെ എല്ലാ കര്‍മ്മങ്ങളിലുമുള്ള പരിശ്രമം—ഇവയ്ക്കു കാരണം ഉദാനവായുവാണെന്ന് പറയുന്നു; അതിന്റെ സ്ഥാനം കണ്ഠംവരെ, മേല്ഭാഗത്തിലെ ദേവസ്ഥാനപ്രദേശമുവരെ എന്നും കീര്ത്തിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• vāk-pravṛtti-prada-udgāre: in speech-activity, giving (speech), and in belching
• vāk-pravṛtti-prada-udgāre: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāk (प्रातिपदिक) + pravṛtti (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक) + udgāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (वाक्प्रवृत्तेः प्रदः उद्गारः/उद्गारे)

• prayatne: in effort
• prayatne: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• sarva-karmaṇām: of all actions
• sarva-karmaṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: “of all actions”

• ā-kaṇṭha-sura-saṃsthānam: the seat (extending) up to the throat, in the chest/upper region
• ā-kaṇṭha-sura-saṃsthānam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ā (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + sura (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (आकण्ठं सुराणां/सुरस्य संस्थानम्)

• udānasya: of udāna (upward vital air)
• udānasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• prakīrtyate: is said/proclaimed
• prakīrtyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kīrt (कीर्त् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): “is proclaimed”

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee-yogin chanting; udāna depicted as a bright upward stream from chest to throat and head; subtle depiction of ‘deva-sthāna’ as luminous upper region; sound waves emerging as Sanskrit syllables.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Speech and effort are powered by udāna; therefore, disciplined speech and righteous exertion are forms of dharmic practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No pilgrimage site is mentioned; the focus is on the inner ‘upper’ current that enables speech and effort.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse supports vows of truthful speech and tapas through controlled exertion.