Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

ऋषयो मनुजा देवाः शिवब्रह्ममुखा अपि । भाव्यर्थं नाति वर्तंते वेलामिव महोदधिः

Transliteration

ṛṣayo manujā devāḥ śivabrahmamukhā api | bhāvyarthaṃ nāti vartaṃte velāmiva mahodadhiḥ

Translation

ଋଷି, ମନୁଷ୍ୟ, ଦେବତା—ଶିବ ଓ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ଆଦିମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ—ଭାବ୍ୟକୁ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ; ଯେପରି ମହାସାଗର ନିଜ ବେଳାକୁ ଲଂଘେ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• मनुजाः: humans
• मनुजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• शिवब्रह्ममुखाः: headed by Śiva and Brahmā
• शिवब्रह्ममुखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘शिवः ब्रह्मा मुखं (प्रमुखः) येषां ते’ (i.e., headed by Śiva and Brahmā)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थक/समुच्चय (also/even)

• भाव्यर्थम्: destiny, what is to happen
• भाव्यर्थम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव्य + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः भाव्यस्य अर्थः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अति: beyond, excessively
• अति: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण (over, beyond)

• वर्तन्ते: go beyond, transgress
• वर्तन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• वेलाम्: shore, boundary
• वेलाम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• इव: like, as
• इव: Upamana-marker (Comparison/इव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• महोदधिः: the great ocean
• महोदधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘महान् उदधिः’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahodadhi-velā (symbolic seashore boundary)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast ocean held back by a luminous shoreline boundary; above it, faint silhouettes of sages, humans, and gods (Śiva, Brahmā) indicating all remain within destiny’s limit.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Devas
• Śiva
• Brahmā
• Mahodadhi (ocean)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic order (niyati) is portrayed as a boundary even the highest beings respect; wisdom is to align one’s will with dharma rather than fight destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the ocean simile is illustrative, not a pilgrimage reference.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.