Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

इत्थं धर्मेण कथितो देवो धर्ममथाब्रवीत् । ईश्वर उवाच । वाहनं भव मे धर्म सर्वदा लोकपूजितः

Transliteration

itthaṃ dharmeṇa kathito devo dharmamathābravīt | īśvara uvāca | vāhanaṃ bhava me dharma sarvadā lokapūjitaḥ

Translation

ధర్ముడు ఈ విధంగా చెప్పినప్పుడు భగవంతుడు ధర్మునితో పలికెను—ఈశ్వరుడు ఉవాచ—హే ధర్మా, నీవు నా వాహనమవు; సర్వలోకములచే నిత్యము పూజింపబడుము।

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus, in this manner
• इत्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• धर्मेण: by Dharma
• धर्मेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• कथितः: spoken, addressed
• कथितः: Kriyā (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• देवः: the god (Lord)
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• धर्मम्: Dharma
• धर्मम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्ध/अनन्तरता सूचक particle)

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ईश्वरः: the Lord
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन (उवाच इति वक्ता)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Speech verb/वचनक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वाहनम्: vehicle, mount
• वाहनम्: Karman (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म) एकवचन (भव इति क्रियायाः पूरक)

• भव: become
• भव: Kriyā (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic)

• धर्म: O Dharma
• धर्म: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kālādhi karaṇa (Temporal adverbial/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक adverb)

• लोकपूजितः: worshipped by the world
• लोकपूजितः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjita (√pūj + kta)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (लोकैः पूजितः), कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (धर्मस्य विशेषण)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Gālava

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śaṅkara, serene and commanding, addresses personified Dharma; the moment of appointment—Dharma is honored as the Lord’s mount, with attendants witnessing the cosmic decree.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Īśvara
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma, when honored and embodied, becomes the very support (vāhana) of the Divine—righteousness is exalted as universally worthy of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setukhaṇḍa context is the sacred Setu-region; this verse prepares the praise of a Dharma-associated tīrtha revealed shortly after.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; the verse confers honor and status upon Dharma as the Lord’s mount.