Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अलक्ष्यमिति वा मत्वा महेशानं महामते । ततः किमर्थ दाशार्हं न स्तौषि पुरुषोत्तमम्

Transliteration

alakṣyamiti vā matvā maheśānaṃ mahāmate | tataḥ kimartha dāśārhaṃ na stauṣi puruṣottamam

Translation

അല്ലെങ്കിൽ, ഹേ മഹാമതിയേ, മഹേശാനൻ അദൃശ്യനെന്ന് നീ കരുതുന്നുവെങ്കിൽ, ദാശാർഹനായ പുരുഷോത്തമനെ എന്തുകൊണ്ട് സ്തുതിക്കുന്നില്ല?

Word by Word

• अलक्ष्यम्: not perceivable, not to be seen
• अलक्ष्यम्: Karma (Object-complement/कर्मपूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-लक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (महेशानम् इत्यादि प्रति ‘अलक्ष्यम्’ इति भावः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• मत्वा: having thought/considered
• मत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• महेशानम्: Maheśāna (Śiva)
• महेशानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• ततः: then/therefore
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्-अर्थक-अव्यय (thereafter/therefore)

• किमर्थ: why
• किमर्थ: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किमर्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (why?); पदान्त-लोप (किमर्थम् → किमर्थ)

• दाशार्हम्: Dāśārha (Kṛṣṇa)
• दाशार्हम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाशार्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• स्तौषि: you praise
• स्तौषि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पुरुषोत्तमम्: Puruṣottama (the Supreme Person)
• पुरुषोत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced; Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dāśārha/Puruṣottama (Kṛṣṇa-associated sacred network)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahāmati (addressed) / Yudhiṣṭhira contextually

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A theological fork: the teacher gestures to an unseen, formless Maheśāna (suggested by empty luminous space) and then to a visible Puruṣottama (Kṛṣṇa/Vāsudeva) icon, urging praise rather than excuses.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśāna
• Dāśārha
• Puruṣottama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

If one hesitates to praise the unseen Śiva, one should at least praise the manifest Supreme Lord (Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu); devotion should not be withheld.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is identified; the focus is on deity-praise and theological orientation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Stotra (praise) of Maheśāna and/or Puruṣottama is implied.