Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

अतो लोकहितं गुह्यं भुक्तिमुक्त्योश्च साधनम् । धर्मं विज्ञातुमिच्छामि त्वत्प्रसादान्महेश्वर

Transliteration

ato lokahitaṃ guhyaṃ bhuktimuktyośca sādhanam | dharmaṃ vijñātumicchāmi tvatprasādānmaheśvara

Translation

เพราะฉะนั้น ข้าแต่พระมหेशวร ด้วยพระกรุณาของพระองค์ ข้าพเจ้าปรารถนาจะรู้ธรรมอันลี้ลับซึ่งเกื้อกูลแก่โลก และเป็นเครื่องบรรลุทั้งความสุขทางโลกและโมกษะ

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (Logical connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/अवधारणार्थ), अर्थः—‘अतः/तस्मात्’ (therefore)

• लोकहितम्: the welfare of the world / world-benefit
• लोकहितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य हितम्)

• गुह्यम्: secret, confidential
• गुह्यम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (लोकहितम् इति पदस्य)

• भुक्तिमुक्त्योः: of enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्तिमुक्त्योः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (भुक्तिः च मुक्तिः च)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक-संयोजक)

• साधनम्: means, instrument
• साधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (लोकहितं गुह्यं ... साधनम्) इति कर्मपदसमूहः

• धर्मम्: dharma, religious duty
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विज्ञातुम्: to know
• विज्ञातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु) → विज्ञातुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: कृदन्त (तुमुनन्त/infinitive), अर्थः—‘to know/understand’

• इच्छामि: I wish/desire
• इच्छामि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• त्वत्प्रसादात्: from your grace
• त्वत्प्रसादात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्वत्-प्रसादः)

• महेश्वर: O Maheshvara (Great Lord)
• महेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumāra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene teaching setting: a youthful sage (Sanatkumara) or seeker with folded hands requests the ‘guhya dharma’ from Maheshvara/Rudra, who sits in calm majesty, suggesting initiation into a secret observance.

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumāra
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Bhukti
• Mukti
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest dharma harmonizes loka-hita (world welfare) with bhukti (well-being) and mukti (liberation).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it introduces a ‘secret’ Śaiva dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None yet; the request sets up the revelation of a specific Śaiva mark/practice in the next verse.