Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

सर्वकार्यकरं स्वल्पं महार्थं सर्वसिद्धिदम्

Transliteration

sarvakāryakaraṃ svalpaṃ mahārthaṃ sarvasiddhidam

Translation

हा मंत्र सर्व कार्ये सिद्ध करणारा आहे; अल्प असूनही महार्थयुक्त आहे आणि सर्व सिद्धी देणारा आहे।

Word by Word

• sarvakāryakaram: accomplishing all tasks
• sarvakāryakaram: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + kārya + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम् (maṃtram इत्यस्य, पूर्वश्लोकात्)

• svalpam: short/small
• svalpam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• mahārtham: of great import
• mahārtham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• sarvasiddhidam: granting all attainments
• sarvasiddhidam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + siddhi + da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced); praising the mantra’s potency

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience/practitioner

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A concise mantra appears as luminous syllables, small in form yet radiating vast power; devotees’ tasks—travel, worship, offerings—are shown succeeding under Gaṇapati’s blessing.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇapati (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a concise mantra, when authentic and practiced properly, can yield vast spiritual and worldly results.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse extols mantra efficacy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly recommends adopting a concise Gaṇapati mantra for accomplishing works and attaining siddhi.