Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

स्वयमेव कृतं पूर्वमज्ञानलक्षणं महत् । अधुनैव मया कार्यं किं कर्तव्यं वद प्रभो

Transliteration

svayameva kṛtaṃ pūrvamajñānalakṣaṇaṃ mahat | adhunaiva mayā kāryaṃ kiṃ kartavyaṃ vada prabho

Translation

กาลก่อน ข้าพเจ้าได้กระทำกรรมหนัก อันมีอวิชชาเป็นเครื่องหมายด้วยตนเอง บัดนี้ข้าพเจ้าควรทำสิ่งใด โปรดตรัสบอกเถิด พระผู้เป็นเจ้า

Word by Word

• स्वयम्: by myself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Agent-emphasis/कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक (by oneself)

• एव: indeed, alone
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic particle)

• कृतम्: (a) deed done
• कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (done deed)

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative); कालवाचक—पूर्वकाले

• अज्ञानलक्षणम्: characterized by ignorance
• अज्ञानलक्षणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञान + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अज्ञानस्य लक्षणम्)

• महत्: great, serious
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (now)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• कार्यम्: what is to be done; duty
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done; obligatory
• कर्तव्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (ought to be done)

• वद: tell, speak
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रभो: O lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Śakra (Indra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, still folded hands, openly confesses a grave ignorance-born act and asks what must be done; Bṛhaspati listens with steady compassion.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Bṛhaspati (implied as addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Acknowledging wrongdoing and seeking right instruction is the doorway to purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedārakhaṇḍa milieu frames the teaching, though this verse emphasizes moral inquiry rather than naming a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse requests guidance on what expiation should be performed.