Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

उपदेशमहामंत्रैर्मां जांगुलिक जीवय । महामोहमहा वृक्षो हृद्यावापसमुत्थितः

Transliteration

upadeśamahāmaṃtrairmāṃ jāṃgulika jīvaya | mahāmohamahā vṛkṣo hṛdyāvāpasamutthitaḥ

Translation

ഹേ ജാംഗുലികാ (സർപ്പവിഷം നീക്കുന്നവനേ), ഉപദേശ മഹാമന്ത്രങ്ങളാൽ എന്നെ ജീവിപ്പിക്കൂ. എന്റെ ഹൃദയത്തിലെ വിത്തുതോട്ടത്തിൽ നിന്ന് മഹാമോഹത്തിന്റെ മഹാവൃക്ഷം മുളച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• upadeśamahāmaṃtraiḥ: with great mantras of instruction
• upadeśamahāmaṃtraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upadeśa + mahā + mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• jāṃgulika: O snake-charmer
• jāṃgulika: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāṃgulika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• jīvaya: revive (make live)
• jīvaya: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jīv (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• mahāmohaḥ: great delusion
• mahāmohaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + moha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• mahā: great
• mahā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; अत्र विशेषणरूपेण ‘vṛkṣaḥ’ इत्यस्य पूर्वपद-विशेषण (indeclinable-like in compounds, but here separated in पाठ)

• vṛkṣaḥ: tree
• vṛkṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• hṛdi: in the heart
• hṛdi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• āvāpa: sowing; seed-plot
• āvāpa: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āvāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद-भावे (as prior member in compound)

• samutthitaḥ: arisen; sprung up
• samutthitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-√sthā (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The guru is portrayed like a compassionate serpent-charmer, holding a staff or rosary; the disciple appears weakened as if poisoned; from the disciple’s heart-lotus rises a dark, sprawling tree labeled ‘moha’, while luminous mantra-syllables descend like nectar.

Characters & Entities

• Gālava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right instruction (upadeśa) functions like an antidote—removing the poison of delusion rooted in the heart.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is specified; the verse focuses on inner transformation through teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Seeking upadeśa and mantra-instruction from a qualified teacher is implied, though no specific rite is detailed.