Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

अष्टैश्वर्याणि चोक्तानि तेजोरूपाणि केवलम् । पंचभिर्ब्रह्मभिः पूर्वं हृल्लेखाद्यादिभिः क्रमात

Transliteration

aṣṭaiśvaryāṇi coktāni tejorūpāṇi kevalam | paṃcabhirbrahmabhiḥ pūrvaṃ hṛllekhādyādibhiḥ kramāta

Translation

ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਅੱਠ ਐਸ਼ਵਰ੍ਯ ਕਹੇ ਗਏ—ਜੋ ਕੇਵਲ ਤੇਜਸਵੀ ਰੂਪ ਹਨ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ, ਕ੍ਰਮ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ, ਹ੍ਰੱਲੇਖ ਆਦਿ ਪੰਜ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਆਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• अष्ट-ऐश्वर्याणि: the eight powers (aiśvaryas)
• अष्ट-ऐश्वर्याणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या) + ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; द्विगु-समासः (अष्टान्य् ऐश्वर्याणि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• उक्तानि: are said/declared
• उक्तानि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उक्त (कृदन्त; √वच् (धातु), क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘said/declared’—कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय

• तेजः-रूपाणि: having the form of radiance
• तेजः-रूपाणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (तेजसः रूपाणि) — ‘of the nature of radiance’

• केवलम्: only/merely
• केवलम्: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावे)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः/क्रियाविशेषणम् (only/merely)

• पञ्चभिः: by/with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्याशब्द; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; संख्याविशेषणम्

• ब्रह्मभिः: by/with the Brahmas (brahma-beings)
• ब्रह्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• पूर्वम्: formerly/earlier
• पूर्वम्: Desha-Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (formerly/earlier)

• हृत्-लेख-आद्यादिभिः: with those beginning with Hṛllekha, etc.
• हृत्-लेख-आद्यादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत्/हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + लेख (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘आद्यादि’ = ‘and so on’; तत्पुरुष-समासः/समाहारः—‘beginning with Hṛllekha etc.’

• क्रमात्: in sequence/gradually
• क्रमात्: Sambandha (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = ‘in order/gradually’

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator/teacher within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa ritual instruction)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous hierarchy diagram: five Brahmā-forms in a lower/inner preparatory band (Hṛllekha first), above/around them eight radiant aiśvarya-forms like flames or sunbursts, all converging toward the central Sadāśiva principle.

Characters & Entities

• Aṣṭaiśvarya
• Five Brahmās
• Hṛllekha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All powers and cosmic offices are ultimately expressions of divine radiance, approached in a disciplined, sequential worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is on metaphysical ordering within ritual practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Follow a fixed sequence: recognize the five Brahmās (starting with Hṛllekha) and then the eight aiśvaryas as radiant forms within the āvaraṇa-pūjā.