Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

मन्त्रमूलमिदं सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् । तेन मन्त्रविहीनं तु कार्यं लोके न सिध्यति

Transliteration

mantramūlamidaṃ sarvaṃ trailokyaṃ sacarācaram | tena mantravihīnaṃ tu kāryaṃ loke na sidhyati

Translation

สรรพสิ่งนี้ทั้งปวง—ไตรโลกพร้อมทั้งสิ่งที่เคลื่อนไหวและไม่เคลื่อนไหว—มีมนตร์เป็นรากฐาน ฉะนั้น กิจใดปราศจากมนตร์ ย่อมไม่สำเร็จในโลก

Word by Word

• मन्त्रमूलम्: having mantra as its root
• मन्त्रमूलम्: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मन्त्रस्य मूलम्/मन्त्र-मूलम् = mantra-rooted)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (त्रयः लोकाः यस्य/त्रिलोकसमाहारः)

• सचराचरम्: with the moving and the unmoving
• सचराचरम्: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + चर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (चर + अचर), 'स-' सहार्थक (with)

• तेन: by that (mantra)
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• मन्त्रविहीनम्: devoid of mantra
• मन्त्रविहीनम्: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विहीन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+हा+क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मन्त्रेण विहीनम् = devoid of mantra)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• कार्यम्: a task; work
• कार्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक निपात (negation)

• सिध्यति: is accomplished; succeeds
• सिध्यति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: the three worlds (heaven, earth, nether) arranged vertically, all threaded by a luminous ‘mantra’ stream (akṣara-light) connecting gods, humans, and beings; a ritualist stands centered, chanting.

Characters & Entities

• Trailokya
• Mantra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mantra is portrayed as the energizing principle behind effective sacred action and spiritual accomplishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

While universal in tone, it is taught within the Revā Khaṇḍa’s Narmadā tīrtha discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not perform religious acts as ‘mantra-vihīna’; success is linked to mantra-guided procedure.