Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

सदोदितः सूक्ष्मरूपो मूर्त्तो मूर्त्या प्रणीयते । अभ्यासेन सदा देवि प्राप्यते परमात्मकः

Transliteration

sadoditaḥ sūkṣmarūpo mūrtto mūrtyā praṇīyate | abhyāsena sadā devi prāpyate paramātmakaḥ

Translation

അവൻ സദാ ഉദിതനും സൂക്ഷ്മരൂപനും; മూర్తനായവൻ മూర్తിയിലൂടെ തന്നെ ഉപാസ്യൻ. ഹേ ദേവീ! നിരന്തര അഭ്യാസംകൊണ്ട് പരമാത്മാവിനെ പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सदोदितः: ever-manifest
• सदोदितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदा-उदित (प्रातिपदिक; सदा + उदित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन—“ever arisen/ever manifest”

• सूक्ष्मरूपः: subtle-formed
• सूक्ष्मरूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; सूक्ष्म + रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन—“having subtle form”

• मूर्तः: embodied
• मूर्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन—“embodied/with form”

• मूर्त्या: by (a) form
• मूर्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन—“by/through a form”

• प्रणीयते: is led/attained (by being led)
• प्रणीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपदी—“is led/ is brought”

• अभ्यासेन: by practice
• अभ्यासेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन—“by practice”

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• प्राप्यते: is attained
• प्राप्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपदी—“is obtained/attained”

• परमात्मकः: supreme in essence
• परमात्मकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक; परम + आत्मक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन—“of supreme nature / having the Supreme as essence”

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (explicitly addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A goddess addressed (‘Devi’) listens as a sage explains: a radiant subtle Supreme above, and below a temple icon (mūrti) being worshipped; a visual gradient from gross form to subtle light; repeated daily ritual scenes indicating abhyāsa.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Paramātman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consistent practice using sacred form (mūrti/visualization) can lead to realization of the Supreme Self beyond all limitations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is primarily an inner-sādhana passage within a tīrtha context, emphasizing the body-mind as a field of pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhyāsa (steady repeated practice) and approach through mūrti (form-based worship/meditation).