Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

विश्वकर्मसुतो विप्रा विश्वरूपो महानृपः । पुरोहितोऽथ शक्रस्य याजकश्चाभवत्तदा

Transliteration

viśvakarmasuto viprā viśvarūpo mahānṛpaḥ | purohito'tha śakrasya yājakaścābhavattadā

Translation

โอ้พราหมณ์ทั้งหลาย วิศวรูปะ บุตรแห่งวิศวกรรมัน ผู้เป็นมหาราชา ครานั้นได้เป็นปุโรหิตประจำตระกูลของศักระ (อินทรา) และเป็นยาชกผู้ประกอบยัญพิธีด้วย

Word by Word

• विश्वकर्मसुतः: son of Viśvakarman
• विश्वकर्मसुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वकर्मन् + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वकर्मणः सुतः)

• विप्रः: a Brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विश्वरूपः: Viśvarūpa (of universal form)
• विश्वरूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (विश्वं रूपं यस्य/विश्व-रूपः)

• महानृपः: a great king
• महानृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् नृपः)

• पुरोहितः: priest, chaplain
• पुरोहितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरस् + हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पुरः स्थितः/पुरो-हितः)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (then/and now)

• शक्रस्य: of Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• याजकः: sacrificer, officiating priest
• याजकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (and)

• अभवत्: became, was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (at that time)

Speaker

Lomāśa

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas (addressed as ‘viprāḥ’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra appoints Viśvarūpa, son of the divine artisan lineage, as family priest and officiant; a yajña pavilion with fire, ladles, and deva courtly grandeur.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvakarman
• Viśvarūpa
• Indra
• Śakra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right order in sacrifice and governance is upheld through qualified priestly offices—purohita and yājaka—supporting dharma in the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse indicates the appointment of priests for yajña (sacrifice) but does not prescribe a particular rite.