Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

ध्यात्वा मुहुर्तं धर्मज्ञो मातरं प्रणतोऽब्रवीत् । मातर्मिथ्याभिभूतासि अज्ञाने ज्ञानवत्यसि

Transliteration

dhyātvā muhurtaṃ dharmajño mātaraṃ praṇato'bravīt | mātarmithyābhibhūtāsi ajñāne jñānavatyasi

Translation

ଧର୍ମଜ୍ଞ କ୍ଷଣକାଳ ଧ୍ୟାନ କରି ମାତାଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରଣାମ କରି କହିଲେ: "ହେ ମାତା! ତୁମେ ମିଥ୍ୟା ଦ୍ୱାରା ଅଭିଭୂତ ହୋଇଛ, ଅଜ୍ଞାନରେ ଥାଇ ମଧ୍ୟ ନିଜକୁ ଜ୍ଞାନୀ ମନେ କରୁଛ।"

Word by Word

• dhyātvā: having reflected
• dhyātvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhyai (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव = 'having meditated/reflected'

• muhūrtam: for a moment
• muhūrtam: Kāla-adhikarana (Time extent/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative); काल-परिमाण (extent of time)

• dharmajñaḥ: knower of dharma
• dharmajñaḥ: Karta (Agent qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative); कर्तृ-विशेषण

• mātaram: mother
• mātaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative)

• praṇataḥ: bowed down
• praṇataḥ: Karta (Agent qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√nam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; कर्तृ-विशेषण = 'having bowed'

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• mātar: O mother
• mātar: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन (Vocative)

• mithyā: falsely
• mithyā: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mithyā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) = 'falsely/erroneously'

• abhibhūtā: overpowered
• abhibhūtā: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi√bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; 'tvam' (implicit) इत्यस्य विशेषण

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ajñāne: in ignorance
• ajñāne: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (Locative); विषय/अधिकरण = 'in ignorance'

• jñānavatī: knowledgeable
• jñānavatī: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + vatī (प्रातिपदिक-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative); 'tvam' (implicit) इत्यस्य विशेषण

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Aitareyaka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: महीसागरसंगम (contextual)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Implied) the audience within the Purāṇa’s frame; within the scene, the mother is the listener

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The son, after a brief contemplative pause, bows at his mother’s feet and speaks gently yet firmly; the mother’s posture shows agitation softening into attention; the shore and waves frame the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Aitareyaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma and clear knowledge correct grief-born delusion; reverence (bowing) can coexist with firm instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a teaching statement within the narrative.