Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

देवोऽप्युदाहरेद्वुद्धिं सर्वेभ्योऽप्यधिकां वराम् । ततः शैलस्तथा चोक्त्वा दत्त्वा देवीं च सोदकम्

Transliteration

devo'pyudāharedvuddhiṃ sarvebhyo'pyadhikāṃ varām | tataḥ śailastathā coktvā dattvā devīṃ ca sodakam

Translation

ଦେବ (ବିଷ୍ଣୁ) ମଧ୍ୟ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କଠାରୁ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଉତ୍ତମ ବୁଦ୍ଧି ଉଚ୍ଚାରଣ କଲେ। ତାପରେ ହିମବାନ୍ ପର୍ବତ ତଦନୁସାରେ କହି ଦେବୀଙ୍କୁ ସୋଦକ (ବିଧିଜଳ ସହିତ) ଦାନ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• devaḥ: the god (Deva)
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थक निपात (particle: also/even)

• udāharet: should declare/utter
• udāharet: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√āhṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• buddhim: intelligence, understanding
• buddhim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• sarvebhyaḥ: than all (others)
• sarvebhyaḥ: Apadana (अपादान/standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य-प्रयोग), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th) / चतुर्थी-बहुवचन-रूपसदृश, बहुवचन (Plural)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• adhikām: greater, superior
• adhikām: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier of buddhiṃ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तुलनार्थक (comparative sense: superior)

• varām: excellent, best
• varām: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier of buddhiṃ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: then/thereupon)

• śailaḥ: the mountain (Himālaya)
• śailaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• tathā: thus, so
• tathā: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: thus/so)

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

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Kriya (क्रिया/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having said’; पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• dattvā: having given
• dattvā: Kriya (क्रिया/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having given’

• devīm: the देवी (the goddess/bride)
• devīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• sa-udakam: together with water (ritual water)
• sa-udakam: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier; of gift/act)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह) + udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘सहितं उदकेन’ (with water)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu pronounces an exalted counsel; Himavat, solemn and regal, prepares the formal gifting of the Goddess with a water-vessel, signaling the wedding’s dharmic completion.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Himālaya
• Devī (Pārvatī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through correct counsel and correctly performed rites, symbolized by the water-offering in giving the bride.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the setting evokes the Himalayan divine milieu of the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The giving of the bride “with water” (sodaka) indicates the formal, dharmic handover (udaka-dāna) in marriage.