Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

परमात्मा तदा विष्णुराधारो मंदरस्य च । दोर्भिश्चतुर्भिः संगृह्य ममंथाब्धिं सुखावहम्

Transliteration

paramātmā tadā viṣṇurādhāro maṃdarasya ca | dorbhiścaturbhiḥ saṃgṛhya mamaṃthābdhiṃ sukhāvaham

Translation

Тогда Вишну, Высшее Я, стал опорой горы Мандара; обхватив её четырьмя руками, он взбалтывал океан, принося благо и радость.

Word by Word

• परमात्मा: the Supreme Self
• परमात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (परमः आत्मा); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (then)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परमात्मा इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण

• आधारः: support
• आधारः: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय

• मन्दरस्य: of Mandara
• मन्दरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय

• दोर्भिः: with (his) arms
• दोर्भिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोर्/दोरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (दोर्/दोरस्), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; करण

• चतुर्भिः: with four
• चतुर्भिः: Karaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (दोर्भिः)

• संगृह्य: having grasped
• संगृह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive); ‘having seized/held’

• ममन्थ: churned
• ममन्थ: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्थ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अब्दिम्: the ocean
• अब्दिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्दि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुखावहम्: bringing happiness
• सुखावहम्: Karma (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + आवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सुखम् आवहति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (अब्दिम्)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four-armed Viṣṇu steadies Mandara with his hands while the churning resumes smoothly; the ocean calms into rhythmic motion; faces relax into confidence.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Mandara
• Ocean (Abdhi)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic welfare arises when the Supreme supports and steadies great undertakings; divine order sustains transformative effort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s sacred geography, framing Kedāra’s Shaiva milieu while narrating the cosmic churning episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; it narrates the divine action that enables the churning.