Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

ध्रुवादूर्ध्वमसूर्यं चाप्यनक्षत्रमतारकम् । स्वतेजसा स्वशक्त्या चाधिष्ठितास्ते हि नित्यदा

Transliteration

dhruvādūrdhvamasūryaṃ cāpyanakṣatramatārakam | svatejasā svaśaktyā cādhiṣṭhitāste hi nityadā

Translation

ଧ୍ରୁବର ଉପରେ ନ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଅଛି, ନ ନକ୍ଷତ୍ର, ନ ତାରା। ତଥାପି ସେହି ଅଞ୍ଚଳମାନେ ନିଜ ତେଜ ଓ ନିଜ ଶକ୍ତିଦ୍ୱାରା ନିତ୍ୟଦା ଅଧିଷ୍ଠିତ ଓ ଧାରିତ ରହନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• dhruvāt: from Dhruva/above Dhruva (starting point)
• dhruvāt: Apādāna (Source/Separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ūrdhvam: upwards/above
• ūrdhvam: Deśa-viśeṣaṇa (Directional)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: upwards/above)

• asūryam: sunless
• asūryam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + sūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थक नकार (sunless)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• api: also
• api: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (also/even)

• anakṣatram: without stars/constellations
• anakṣatram: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + nakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-नकार (starless/without constellations)

• atārakam: without tārakas (stars)
• atārakam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + tāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-नकार (without guiding stars)

• svatejasā: by their own radiance
• svatejasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘स्वस्य तेजसा’)

• svaśaktyā: by their own power
• svaśaktyā: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘स्वस्य शक्त्या’)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• adhiṣṭhitāḥ: presiding/established
• adhiṣṭhitāḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicate (state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhi + sthā (धातु) + kta (क्त) → adhiṣṭhita (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण/विधेय (presided over/occupied)

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• hi: indeed
• hi: Nipāta (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ निपात (indeed/for)

• nityadā: always
• nityadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक) + dā (अव्यय-प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; कालवाचक अव्यय (always/at all times)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ūrdhva-Dhruva region (trans-astral kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A silent, dark-yet-luminous expanse above Dhruva: no sun or stars, only a subtle radiance emanating from the realm itself; Dhruva below as a single anchor-point fading into transcendence.

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Beyond visible lights lies a subtler order; the Purāṇa points to realities sustained by inner power, inviting contemplative insight.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; this is a cosmological statement rather than a tīrtha-māhātmya passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.