Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

मर्त्यलोके महादेव प्रेतनाथो महाकृतिः । आत्मकार्यं महाघोरं क्लेशयेदिति निश्चयः

Transliteration

martyaloke mahādeva pretanātho mahākṛtiḥ | ātmakāryaṃ mahāghoraṃ kleśayediti niścayaḥ

Translation

“ข้าแต่มหาเทพ ในมรรตยโลก เจ้าแห่งเปรตผู้มีสัณฐานใหญ่ยิ่ง ได้ตั้งปณิธานจะกระทำกิจอันน่าสะพรึงกลัวเพื่อตน และจักก่อความทุกข์เข็ญแก่โลกทั้งหลาย”

Word by Word

• मर्त्य-लोके: in the mortal world
• मर्त्य-लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास (मर्त्यानां लोकः), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक; महा + देव)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् देवः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• प्रेत-नाथः: the lord of spirits (Preta)
• प्रेत-नाथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रेतानां नाथः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महा-कृतिः: (one of) great power/deed
• महा-कृतिः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + कृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महती कृतिः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आत्म-कार्यम्: his own purpose/task
• आत्म-कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास (आत्मनः कार्यम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महा-घोरम्: very terrible
• महा-घोरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महद् घोरम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (आत्मकार्यस्य)

• क्लेशयेत्: would afflict / may cause distress
• क्लेशयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्लिश् (धातु; णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative)

• निश्चयः: certainty / firm conclusion
• निश्चयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Devas

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādeva (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas describe a colossal preta-lord looming over the mortal realm; shadowy cremation-ground imagery contrasts with the luminous divine court; the threat is conveyed through scale and darkness rather than explicit violence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Pretanātha (lord of Pretas)
• Martyaloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-driven ambition (ātma-kārya) when fueled by power can become destructive; dharma requires higher oversight and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None here; the verse identifies the locus of danger as Martyaloka (the human realm).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative disclosure of the antagonist’s intent.