Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

अहं प्रस्तावमन्वीक्ष्य वाक्यमेतदुदैरयम् । नमो धर्माय महते विश्वधात्रे महात्मने

Transliteration

ahaṃ prastāvamanvīkṣya vākyametadudairayam | namo dharmāya mahate viśvadhātre mahātmane

Translation

ครั้นพิจารณากาลเทศะแล้ว ข้าพเจ้าจึงกล่าววาจานี้ว่า “นอบน้อมแด่ธรรมะอันยิ่งใหญ่—แด่มหาตมันผู้ทรงค้ำจุนสากลจักรวาล”

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• prastāvam: the proposal / context
• prastāvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prastāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• anvīkṣya: having examined
• anvīkṣya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव कृदन्त (gerund), ‘having examined/considered’

• vākyam: statement / words
• vākyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vākyam)

• udairayam: I uttered / proclaimed
• udairayam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud√īr (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (अद्यतनभूत/aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय (नमस्कारार्थक निपात); दत्तिवाचक-प्रयोगः (to + dative)

• dharmāya: to Dharma
• dharmāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative of salutation)

• mahate: great
• mahate: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (dharmāya)

• viśva-dhātre: to the sustainer of the universe
• viśva-dhātre: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + dhātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वस्य धाता)

• mahātmane: to the great-souled one
• mahātmane: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् आत्मा यस्य/महात्मा)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta to sages within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee/speaker stands with folded hands, offering namaskāra to a radiant personified Dharma—serene, holding śāstra and staff, with a subtle cosmic backdrop (sun, stars, world-sphere) indicating ‘sustainer of the universe’.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is revered as the cosmic support; honoring Dharma is foundational to receiving the fruits of tīrtha and vrata.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse is a devotional pivot (stuti) within the broader sacred-place narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A simple devotional act is implied: offering namas (salutations) to Dharma.