Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

षष्ठः परिवहो नाम स्थितः सप्तर्षिमंडले । भ्रमंति ध्रुवसंबद्धा येन सप्तर्षयो दिवि

Transliteration

ṣaṣṭhaḥ parivaho nāma sthitaḥ saptarṣimaṃḍale | bhramaṃti dhruvasaṃbaddhā yena saptarṣayo divi

Translation

ଷଷ୍ଠ ‘ପରିବହ’ ନାମକ ବାୟୁ ସପ୍ତର୍ଷିମଣ୍ଡଳରେ ସ୍ଥିତ। ଧ୍ରୁବ ସହ ବଦ୍ଧ ହୋଇ ତାହାର ବଳରେ ଦିବି ସପ୍ତର୍ଷିମାନେ ପରିଭ୍ରମଣ କରନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• ṣaṣṭhaḥ: the sixth
• ṣaṣṭhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

• parivahaḥ: Parivaha (name)
• parivahaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parivaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha/Avadhāraṇa (naming particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-प्रयोगे (particle meaning ‘by name/indeed’)

• sthitaḥ: situated/standing
• sthitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धाातु) + kta (क्त) → sthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/निष्ठा-प्रत्यय; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• saptarṣi-maṇḍale: in the circle/region of the Seven Sages
• saptarṣi-maṇḍale: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saptarṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘सप्तर्षीणां मण्डले’)

• bhramanti: they revolve/wander
• bhramanti: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhram (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• dhruva-saṃbaddhāḥ: connected to Dhruva (Pole Star)
• dhruva-saṃbaddhāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbaddha (सम्+बन्ध् धातु + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्तान्त विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (‘ध्रुवेण संबद्धाः’/‘connected with Dhruva’)

• yena: by which/through whom
• yena: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• saptarṣayaḥ: the Seven Sages
• saptarṣayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saptarṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• divi: in heaven/in the sky
• divi: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: div (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘द्यौः’ शब्दस्य रूपम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dhruvaloka / Saptarṣimaṇḍala (cosmic tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (addressed as ‘O Bhārata’ in the surrounding passage-context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Saptarṣis as luminous sages in the northern sky revolve in a great circle, tethered to the fixed Dhruva; a subtle wind-deity ‘Parivaha’ is shown as the unseen force guiding their motion.

Characters & Entities

• Parivaha
• Saptarṣi
• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the greatest sages are portrayed within cosmic order—humility and alignment with dharma are implied.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is astronomical/cosmological.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.