Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

नामव्याहरणं विष्णोर्यतस्तद्विषया मतिः । त्रिशिरा धूम्रहस्ता सा शक्रं ग्रस्तुमुपाययौ

Transliteration

nāmavyāharaṇaṃ viṣṇoryatastadviṣayā matiḥ | triśirā dhūmrahastā sā śakraṃ grastumupāyayau

Translation

เพราะจิตของเขาตั้งมั่นอยู่ในพระนามของพระวิษณุที่เปล่งออก นางพรหมหัตยา—มีสามเศียรและมือดำดุจควัน—จึงก้าวเข้ามาเพื่อจะกลืนศักระ (อินทรา)

Word by Word

• nāma: name
• nāma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• vyāharaṇam: uttering
• vyāharaṇam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vy-ā-√hṛ (धातु) + ana (प्रत्यय) → vyāharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भाववाचक-कर्तृ/क्रियानाम (verbal noun: uttering)

• nāmavyāharaṇam: utterance of the name
• nāmavyāharaṇam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman + vyāharaṇa (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (name-uttering)

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• yataḥ: because/whence
• yataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatas (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कारणार्थक-सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb: 'because/whence')

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• viṣayā: having as its object
• viṣayā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (having as object/pertaining to)

• tadviṣayā: focused on that
• tadviṣayā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad + viṣaya (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (that as its object)

• matiḥ: thought/mind
• matiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• triśirāḥ: three-headed
• triśirāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri + śiras (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (one who has three heads)

• dhūmrahastā: smoke-handed
• dhūmrahastā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhūmra + hasta (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (smoke-colored-handed / smoky-handed)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śakram: Śakra (Indra)
• śakram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• grastum: to swallow
• grastum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gras (धातु)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), परस्मैपदी; क्रियार्थक (to swallow)

• upāyayau: approached/came near
• upāyayau: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-ā-√yā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha kṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis (explicit vocative appears nearby)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmahatyā appears as a terrifying feminine personification—three-headed, smoke-dark hands—advancing to seize Indra, whose mind clings to the utterance of Viṣṇu’s name.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Brahmahatyā
• Śakra (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Remembrance of the Divine Name is a spiritual refuge, yet the force of sin still compels confrontation and purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it focuses on nāma-smaraṇa and the pursuit motif.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nāma-vyāharaṇa (uttering/reciting Viṣṇu’s name) is referenced as a devotional practice.