Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

तेन विप्रेण वार्धक्ये समाराध्य महेश्वरम् । प्राप्तोऽहमिति मे नाम ईशान इति कल्पितम्

Transliteration

tena vipreṇa vārdhakye samārādhya maheśvaram | prāpto'hamiti me nāma īśāna iti kalpitam

Translation

त्या ब्राह्मणाने वार्धक्यात महेश्वराची विधिपूर्वक आराधना केली; आणि ‘मी प्राप्त झालो’ असे म्हणाल्याने माझे नाव ‘ईशान’ असे कल्पिले गेले।

Word by Word

• tena: by him
• tena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; instrumental singular

• vipreṇa: by the Brahmin
• vipreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental singular (agent/instrument)

• vārdhakye: in old age
• vārdhakye: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vārdhakya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative singular

• samārādhya: having worshipped
• samārādhya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√rādh (धातु) → samārādhya (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); 'समाराध्य' = having duly worshipped/propitiated

• maheśvaram: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• maheśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular

• prāptaḥ: obtained, attained
• prāptaḥ: Karta (Predicate of subject/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु) → prāpta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; past participle used predicatively

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री (सर्वनाम), प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग)

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; enclitic genitive singular

• nāma: name
• nāma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here nominative singular (subject of 'kalpitam')

• īśānaḥ: Īśāna
• īśānaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; used as नाम (proper name) in apposition

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग)

• kalpitam: was assigned/formed
• kalpitam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kḷp (धातु) → kalpita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; past participle: 'was assigned/was devised' (agreeing with 'nāma')

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) narrating (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aged brāhmaṇa performs calm, dignified worship before a Śiva-liṅga; beside him stands the silent son, and a subtle inscription-like aura suggests the name ‘Īśāna’ arising from the declaration ‘prāpto’ham’.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Īśāna
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady worship of Maheśvara across life, even into old age, culminates in attainment and a transformed spiritual identity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes Maheśvara-ārādhana rather than naming a site; the broader adhyāya may situate the account in a particular Śaiva kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samārādhana (devout propitiation/worship) of Maheśvara as a sustained sādhana.