Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

छिद्यतां सूत्रधारेण विद्यापरशुनाधुना । भजामि तव शिष्योऽहं वरिवस्यापरश्चिरम्

Transliteration

chidyatāṃ sūtradhāreṇa vidyāparaśunādhunā | bhajāmi tava śiṣyo'haṃ varivasyāparaściram

Translation

ഇപ്പോൾ സൂത്രധാരൻ (മാർഗ്ഗദർശി) മുഖേനയും വിദ്യ എന്ന പരശുവാലും ഈ ബന്ധനം ഛേദിക്കപ്പെടട്ടെ. ഞാൻ നിങ്ങളുടെ ശിഷ്യനായി നിങ്ങളുടെ ശരണം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു; ദീർഘകാലം ഞാൻ വെറും ബാഹ്യ വരിവസ്യ (പൂജാ-സേവ)യിൽ മാത്രം ആയിരുന്നു, ഉന്നത സാധനയിൽ അല്ല.

Word by Word

• chidyatām: let (it) be cut
• chidyatām: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √chid (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘let it be cut’

• sūtradhāreṇa: by the director/holder of the thread; guide
• sūtradhāreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūtradhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• vidyāparaśunā: with the axe of knowledge
• vidyāparaśunā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā + paraśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• adhunā: now
• adhunā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhunā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• bhajāmi: I worship / I serve
• bhajāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhaj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• tava: of you; your
• tava: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• śiṣyaḥ: disciple
• śiṣyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• varivasya: service; worship
• varivasya: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varivasya (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्; ‘service, worship’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण

• aparaḥ: other; another (one)
• aparaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (as ‘another/other’)

• ciram: for a long time
• ciram: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ciram (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of duration)

Speaker

Unspecified (context suggests a supplicant addressing a revered teacher/ascetic)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The disciple, holding flowers from prior outward worship, now kneels as the guru extends a ‘thread’ of guidance (a luminous sūtra) and raises an axe of knowledge; the disciple’s bonds (ropes/vines) are being severed.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual progress requires guidance and knowledge that cuts through confusion; discipleship is a conscious turning from mere externalism to inner transformation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific place is mentioned; the verse focuses on guru-guided liberation rather than a location-mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No fixed rite is stated; the verse contrasts mere ritual service (varivasyā) with the higher ‘cutting’ power of knowledge and guidance.