Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अकारिषमहं रम्यं विश्वकर्मविधानतः । मृन्मयं काष्ठनिष्पन्नं पाक्वेष्टं शैलमेव वा

Transliteration

akāriṣamahaṃ ramyaṃ viśvakarmavidhānataḥ | mṛnmayaṃ kāṣṭhaniṣpannaṃ pākveṣṭaṃ śailameva vā

Translation

विश्वकर्माच्या विधानाप्रमाणे मी एक रम्य देवालय करवून घेतले—मातीचे, लाकडी, भाजलेल्या विटांचे, किंवा दगडीही.

Word by Word

• akāriṣam: I made, I constructed
• akāriṣam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (aorist), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

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

• ramyam: beautiful, delightful
• ramyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (कर्मपदस्य विशेषणम्)

• viśvakarmavidhānataḥ: according to Viśvakarman’s design/rules
• viśvakarmavidhānataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśvakarman (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: समासान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb); तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: विश्वकर्मणः विधानम्) + तः (from/according to)

• mṛnmayam: made of clay
• mṛnmayam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛd (प्रातिपदिक) + mayaṭ (मयट्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तद्धितान्त-विशेषणम् (made of); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• kāṣṭhaniṣpannam: produced from wood
• kāṣṭhaniṣpannam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + niṣ-√pad (धातु) → niṣpanna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (सप्तमी/तृतीया-भावः: काष्ठेन निष्पन्नम् = made from wood); भूतकृदन्तः (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• pākveṣṭam: of baked brick
• pākveṣṭam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pākva (प्रातिपदिक) + iṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः (पाक्वम् इष्टम्/इष्टकं—baked brick); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• śailam: stone
• śailam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (contextual deduction within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śivālaya (constructed per vidhi)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa (King)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A workshop-to-temple montage: artisans measure with cords, carve wood, fire bricks, shape clay, and set stone—guided by Viśvakarman’s canon—culminating in a graceful Śiva shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvakarman
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is expressed through well-made sacred works; even the material varies, but reverent, rule-guided construction is praised.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular site is specified; the verse speaks generally about constructing a Śiva shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Temple construction should follow Viśvakarman’s proper ordinances (architectural/ritual standards), using suitable materials.