Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

महेश्वर उवाच । हेरंब श्रृणु मे वाक्यं श्रद्धया परया युतः । अहंकारात्मकं चैव जगदेतच्चराचरम्

Transliteration

maheśvara uvāca | heraṃba śrṛṇu me vākyaṃ śraddhayā parayā yutaḥ | ahaṃkārātmakaṃ caiva jagadetaccarācaram

Translation

മഹേശ്വരൻ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു— ഹേ ഹേരംബാ, പരമശ്രദ്ധയോടെ എന്റെ വചനം കേൾക്കുക. ഈ സമസ്ത ചരാചര ജഗത്ത് അഹങ്കാരസ്വഭാവമുള്ളതുതന്നെ.

Word by Word

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—महान् ईश्वरः (कर्मधारय-भावे प्रचलितः; रूपतः समासपद)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• हेरम्ब: O Heramba
• हेरम्ब: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेरम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: statement/words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• परया: supreme/great
• परया: Karana-viśeṣaṇa (Instrument qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘श्रद्धया’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• युतः: endowed (with)
• युतः: Sambodhana-viśeṣaṇa (Vocative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle) ‘युक्त’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बोधितस्य (हेरम्बस्य) विशेषणम्

• अहंकारात्मकम्: of the nature of ego
• अहंकारात्मकम्: Karma-predicate (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहंकार + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—अहंकारः एव आत्मा यस्य/यत् (तत्पुरुष-भावः ‘ego-natured’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘जगत्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• चराचरम्: moving and unmoving
• चराचरम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—चरं च अचरं च (द्वन्द्व, समाहार)

Speaker

Maheśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Heraṃba (Gaṇeśa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Maheśvara addresses Heraṃba with solemn instruction; the teaching expands to encompass the entire cosmos as rooted in the I-principle, suggesting a vast metaphysical backdrop behind a simple dialogue.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Heraṃba (Gaṇeśa)
• Ahaṃkāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Understanding the ‘I’-principle (ahaṃkāra) is key to discerning how worldly experience arises and how liberation is approached.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s sacred narration, linking Kedāra to profound Śaiva instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is philosophical instruction (upadeśa) rather than a ritual directive.