Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

कलातीतं निर्वशगं निर्व्यापारं महत्परम् । विश्वाधारं जगन्मध्यं कोटिब्रह्मांडबीजकम्

Transliteration

kalātītaṃ nirvaśagaṃ nirvyāpāraṃ mahatparam | viśvādhāraṃ jaganmadhyaṃ koṭibrahmāṃḍabījakam

Translation

ഇത് കാല-കലാ വിഭജനങ്ങളെ അതീതമായി, സ്വതന്ത്രവും ക്രിയാരഹിതവും, പരമവും മഹത്തുമായതാണ്. ഇത് വിശ്വാധാരം, ജഗന്മധ്യം, കോടി ബ്രഹ്മാണ്ഡങ്ങളുടെ ബീജം.

Word by Word

• कलातीतम्: beyond time/parts (kalā)
• कलातीतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कलातीत (प्रातिपदिक; कला + अतीत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) ‘कलानाम् अतीतम्’

• निर्वशगम्: not subject to control
• निर्वशगम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्वशग (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + वश + ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘वशं न गच्छति’

• निर्व्यापारम्: without activity
• निर्व्यापारम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्व्यापार (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + व्यापार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्/निर्-तत्पुरुषः ‘व्यापारः न अस्ति’

• महत्परम्: supremely great
• महत्परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्पर (प्रातिपदिक; महत् + पर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘महत् परम्’ (supreme and great)

• विश्वाधारम्: support of the universe
• विश्वाधारम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वाधार (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व + आधार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘विश्वस्य आधारः’

• जगन्मध्यम्: center of the world
• जगन्मध्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जगन्मध्य (प्रातिपदिक; जगत् + मध्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘जगतः मध्यः’

• कोटिब्रह्माण्डबीजकम्: seed of countless universes
• कोटिब्रह्माण्डबीजकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटिब्रह्माण्डबीजक (प्रातिपदिक; कोटि + ब्रह्माण्ड + बीजक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः) ‘कोटि-ब्रह्माण्डानां बीजकम्’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from chapter context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast cosmic mandala: innumerable brahmāṇḍas like luminous eggs emanate from a central bindu shaped as Oṃ; time-wheels and measures dissolve at the periphery, while the center remains still.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmāṇḍa (cosmic egg)
• Viśva (universe)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The object of contemplation (mantra/ultimate reality) is portrayed as the transcendent ground of the cosmos, beyond time and action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named in this verse; it serves the chapter’s devotional-metaphysical praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Contemplation on the supreme principle described here is implied as the practice.