Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

नमस्ये चेतनं ब्रह्मा प्रत्यक्षं गालवाख्यया । अविद्याकृष्णसर्पेण दष्टं तद्विषपीडितम्

Transliteration

namasye cetanaṃ brahmā pratyakṣaṃ gālavākhyayā | avidyākṛṣṇasarpeṇa daṣṭaṃ tadviṣapīḍitam

Translation

ഗാലവ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ എന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ പ്രത്യക്ഷമായ ചൈതന്യ പരബ്രഹ്മത്തോട് ഞാൻ നമസ്കരിക്കുന്നു. അവിദ്യ എന്ന കറുത്ത സർപ്പം എന്നെ കടിച്ചു; അതിന്റെ വിഷം കൊണ്ട് ഞാൻ പീഡിതൻ.

Word by Word

• namasye: I bow / I salute
• namasye: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: namas (अव्यय/नमस्) + √as (धातु) (आत्मनेपद-प्रयोग)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; ‘नमस्यति’ धात्वर्थे (to bow)

• cetanam: conscious, sentient
• cetanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cetana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• brahma: Brahman (the Absolute)
• brahma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• pratyakṣam: directly perceptible
• pratyakṣam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• gālavākhyayā: by the name ‘Gālava’
• gālavākhyayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gālava + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘-ākhyā’ = ‘named/called’

• avidyākṛṣṇasarpeṇa: by the black serpent of ignorance
• avidyākṛṣṇasarpeṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avidyā + kṛṣṇa + sarpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• daṣṭam: bitten
• daṣṭam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √daṃś (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (that)

• viṣapīḍitam: afflicted by poison
• viṣapīḍitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣa + pīḍita (प्रातिपदिक; √pīḍ (धातु) से)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त-निष्पन्न विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating within Māheśvara-khaṇḍa to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seeker bows to a sage named Gālava, envisioned as the living presence of Brahman; a shadowy black serpent coils near the seeker’s feet or behind him, symbolizing ignorance; the sage’s calm gaze suggests antidote-like compassion.

Characters & Entities

• Gālava
• Brahman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ignorance poisons the mind; recognizing the guru as a manifest gateway to truth begins the cure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is an inner-spiritual confession and praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the act shown is namaskāra (reverent salutation) and seeking guidance.