Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

सर्वे देवा यत्पदमामनंति वेदैश्च सर्वैरपि यो न लभ्यः । ब्रह्मादिविश्वं ननु यस्य शैल बालस्य वा क्रीडनकं वदंति

Transliteration

sarve devā yatpadamāmanaṃti vedaiśca sarvairapi yo na labhyaḥ | brahmādiviśvaṃ nanu yasya śaila bālasya vā krīḍanakaṃ vadaṃti

Translation

Все боги чтут его высочайшее состояние; и всё же даже все Веды вместе не могут постичь его вполне. Воистину, вся вселенная, начиная с Брахмы, говорится, для этого Дитя Горы — лишь игрушка.

Word by Word

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• devāḥ: gods
• devāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• padam: foot/position (state)
• padam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• āmananti: recite/declare
• āmananti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (मन्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• vedaiḥ: by the Vedas
• vedaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

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

• sarvaiḥ: by all
• sarvaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (also/even)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• labhyaḥ: obtainable/attainable
• labhyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √labh (लभ्) (धातु) + य (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (भाव्य/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि-योग्य (to be obtained)

• brahmādi-viśvam: the universe beginning with Brahmā
• brahmādi-viśvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (brahmādayaḥ yeṣāṃ tat)

• nanu: indeed/why, surely
• nanu: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nanu (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/प्रत्यवायबोधक अव्यय (indeed/why!)

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• śailam: mountain
• śailam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• bālasya: of a child
• bālasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• krīḍanakam: toy/plaything
• krīḍanakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krīḍanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• vadanti: they say
• vadanti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (वद्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: gods with folded hands before an immeasurable Śiva; the universe (Brahmā and all worlds) depicted as a small toy in the hands of a mountain-born childlike Lord—suggesting both awe and playful transcendence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahmā
• Vedas
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Absolute surpasses conceptual grasp; the cosmos itself is held within the Lord’s effortless play (līlā).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha; the imagery is cosmic and mountain-associated, fitting the Himālaya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is theological praise.