Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 114

Devanagari script

षट्पंचाशत्तथा पूर्वाश्चतुःषष्टिरिमे गुणाः । ब्राह्मये पदे प्रवर्तंते गुह्यमेतत्तवेरितम्

Transliteration

ṣaṭpaṃcāśattathā pūrvāścatuḥṣaṣṭirime guṇāḥ | brāhmaye pade pravartaṃte guhyametattaveritam

Translation

അമ്പത്താറും മുൻപറഞ്ഞ ഗുണങ്ങളും—ഈ അറുപത്തിനാല് ഗുണങ്ങൾ ബ്രാഹ്മ്യപദത്തിൽ പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നു. ഇത് നിനാൽ പ്രസ്താവിതമായ ഗൂഢോപദേശം.

Word by Word

• ṣaṭpañcāśat: fifty-six
• ṣaṭpañcāśat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ + pañcāśat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषणम्; स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (numeral adjective; feminine nominative singular)

• tathā: and also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अन्वय-अव्ययम् (connective adverb: 'and/also')

• pūrvāḥ: earlier/previous
• pūrvāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (masculine nominative plural)

• catuḥṣaṣṭiḥ: sixty-four
• catuḥṣaṣṭiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catuḥ + ṣaṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-नाम; स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (numeral noun; feminine nominative singular)

• ime: these
• ime: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (masculine nominative plural)

• guṇāḥ: qualities/powers
• guṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (masculine nominative plural)

• brāhmaye: in the Brāhmya (state/plane)
• brāhmaye: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brāhmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (neuter locative singular)

• pade: in the state/position
• pade: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (neuter locative singular)

• pravartante: arise/operate
• pravartante: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम् (present indicative; 3rd person plural; Ātmanepada)

• guhyam: secret
• guhyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (neuter nominative/accusative singular)

• etat: this
• etat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (neuter nominative/accusative singular)

• tava: of you/your
• tava: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचनम् (genitive singular)

• īritam: spoken/declared
• īritam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicate (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √īr (धातु) + -ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (past passive participle; neuter nom/acc sg)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet teaching scene: a guru reveals a ‘secret’ enumeration of qualities leading to the brahma-state; palm-leaf manuscript, rosary, and a subdued ascetic setting.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest classified powers are framed as ‘secret knowledge,’ implying the need for right guidance and non-attachment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No earthly pilgrimage site is praised; the verse points to Brahmapada/Brahmaloka as a doctrinal reference.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it emphasizes the esoteric nature of the teaching.