Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

तथा गतेन मार्गेण प्रत्यावृत्त्याब्जसंभवः । मेरुपृष्ठमनुप्राप्तः सुरभ्या लक्षितस्ततः

Transliteration

tathā gatena mārgeṇa pratyāvṛttyābjasaṃbhavaḥ | merupṛṣṭhamanuprāptaḥ surabhyā lakṣitastataḥ

Translation

താൻ പോയ അതേ വഴിയിലൂടെ മടങ്ങിവന്ന് കമലജനായ ബ്രഹ്മാവ് മേരു പർവതത്തിന്റെ പൃഷ്ഠഭാഗത്തെത്തി; അവിടെ സുരഭി അവനെ ശ്രദ്ധിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus/in that way
• तथा: Sambandha (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• गतेन: by the (already) gone/traversed
• गतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; मार्गेण सह विशेषण

• मार्गेण: by the path
• मार्गेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• प्रत्यावृत्त्या: by turning back/returning
• प्रत्यावृत्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति + आवृत्तिः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अब्जसंभवः: the lotus-born (Brahmā)
• अब्जसंभवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्ज + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अब्जात् सम्भवः (lotus-born)

• मेरुपृष्ठम्: the back/slope of Meru
• मेरुपृष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; मेरोर् पृष्ठम्

• अनुप्राप्तः: reached
• अनुप्राप्तः: Kriya (मुख्य क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + प्र + आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (he) having reached

• सुरभ्या: by Surabhī
• सुरभ्या: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• लक्षितः: was noticed/recognized
• लक्षितः: Kriya (passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लक्ष् (धातु) → लक्षित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (was noticed)

• ततः: thereafter/from there
• ततः: Apadana/Adhikarana (source/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम् (from there/thereafter)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Meru (mythic) within Kedāra narrative

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā descends/returns along the same path and arrives at Meru’s ridge; Surabhī (divine cow) notices him in a liminal mountain setting.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Meru
• Surabhī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When the Infinite cannot be reached, the seeker must return with humility; the narrative prepares for further revelation and correction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kedāra-khaṇḍa setting; this verse is part of the liṅga-māhātmya that elevates Kedāra as a Śaiva sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.