Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

यतो धर्मस्य सर्वस्य नानारूपैः प्रवर्ततः । परित्राणाय भवतः कृष्णस्य च भवो भवे

Transliteration

yato dharmasya sarvasya nānārūpaiḥ pravartataḥ | paritrāṇāya bhavataḥ kṛṣṇasya ca bhavo bhave

Translation

കാരണം നിന്നിൽ നിന്നുതന്നെ നാനാരൂപങ്ങളിൽ സമസ്ത ധർമ്മവും പ്രവഹിക്കുന്നു. നിനക്കും കൃഷ്ണനും പരിരക്ഷയ്ക്കായി ശിവൻ ജന്മം ജന്മമായി സഹായകനാകട്ടെ॥

Word by Word

• यतः: since, because
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थक (causal adverb) ‘because/since’

• धर्मस्य: of dharma
• धर्मस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वस्य: of all
• सर्वस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; धर्मस्य इति विशेषण

• नानारूपैः: by various forms
• नानारूपैः: Karana (करण/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नानारूप (प्रातिपदिक; नाना + रूप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; ‘नानानि रूपाणि’

• प्रवर्ततः: (they) proceed, function
• प्रवर्ततः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन (Dual), आत्मनेपद; ‘they proceed/operate’

• परित्राणाय: for protection
• परित्राणाय: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परित्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे

• भवतः: of you
• भवतः: Sambandha (षष्ठी/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (honorific pronoun)

• कृष्णस्य: of Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• भवः: Śiva (Bhava)
• भवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवे: in existence, in the world
• भवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; ‘भवे’ = ‘in the world/existence’

Speaker

Narratorial voice within Sūta’s discourse (embedded benediction; addressee likely Arjuna)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guptakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kuru-dvaha (best of the Kurus)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A benediction scene: the narrator blesses the Kuru hero and Kṛṣṇa, invoking Śiva’s protection across births; Śiva appears as a calm, ash-smeared guardian presence behind them, signifying enduring grace.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Kṛṣṇa
• Bhava (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma manifests diversely through divine agency, and Śiva’s protective grace is sought across lifetimes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse functions as a theological benediction within the Guptakṣetra/Staṃbhatīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prayerful invocation of Śiva (Bhava) for protection—implicitly encouraging devotion and remembrance.