Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

सर्वे देवा यत्पदमामनंति वेदैश्च सर्वैरपि यो न लभ्यः । ब्रह्मादिविश्वं ननु यस्य शैल बालस्य वा क्रीडनकं वदंति

Transliteration

sarve devā yatpadamāmanaṃti vedaiśca sarvairapi yo na labhyaḥ | brahmādiviśvaṃ nanu yasya śaila bālasya vā krīḍanakaṃ vadaṃti

Translation

ଯାହାଙ୍କ ପରମ ପଦକୁ ସମସ୍ତ ଦେବତା ବେଦମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ନିତ୍ୟ ସ୍ତୁତି କରନ୍ତି, ତଥାପି ସମସ୍ତ ବେଦ ମିଶିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଯାହାଙ୍କୁ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭାବେ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରିପାରେ ନାହିଁ—ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଦି ସମଗ୍ର ବିଶ୍ୱ ସେଇ ଶୈଳତନୟ ବାଳକଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ କେବଳ ଖେଳନା ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

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

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• padam: foot/position (state)
• padam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• āmananti: recite/declare
• āmananti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (मन्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• vedaiḥ: by the Vedas
• vedaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• sarvaiḥ: by all
• sarvaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (also/even)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• labhyaḥ: obtainable/attainable
• labhyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √labh (लभ्) (धातु) + य (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (भाव्य/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि-योग्य (to be obtained)

• brahmādi-viśvam: the universe beginning with Brahmā
• brahmādi-viśvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (brahmādayaḥ yeṣāṃ tat)

• nanu: indeed/why, surely
• nanu: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nanu (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/प्रत्यवायबोधक अव्यय (indeed/why!)

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• śailam: mountain
• śailam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• bālasya: of a child
• bālasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• krīḍanakam: toy/plaything
• krīḍanakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krīḍanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• vadanti: they say
• vadanti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (वद्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: gods with folded hands before an immeasurable Śiva; the universe (Brahmā and all worlds) depicted as a small toy in the hands of a mountain-born childlike Lord—suggesting both awe and playful transcendence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahmā
• Vedas
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Absolute surpasses conceptual grasp; the cosmos itself is held within the Lord’s effortless play (līlā).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha; the imagery is cosmic and mountain-associated, fitting the Himālaya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is theological praise.