Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

कस्त्वं का प्रकृतिः सूक्ष्मा भगवंस्तद्विमृश्यताम् । पार्वत्यास्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा महेशो वाक्यमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

kastvaṃ kā prakṛtiḥ sūkṣmā bhagavaṃstadvimṛśyatām | pārvatyāstadvacaḥ śrutvā maheśo vākyamabravīt

Translation

“ท่านเป็นผู้ใด? ปฤกฤติอันละเอียดนี้คืออะไร? โอ้ภควัน ขอจงพิจารณาเถิด” ครั้นได้ฟังถ้อยคำของพระปารวตีแล้ว พระมหेशะจึงตรัสตอบ

Word by Word

• kaḥ: who?
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kā: what (fem.)?
• kā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• prakṛtiḥ: nature; constitution
• prakṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sūkṣmā: subtle
• sūkṣmā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūkṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रकृतिः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• bhagavan: O Lord
• bhagavan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vimṛśyatām: let it be reflected upon
• vimṛśyatām: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√mṛś (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे (let it be considered)

• pārvatyāḥ: of Pārvatī
• pārvatyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vacaḥ: speech; words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• maheśaḥ: Maheśa (Śiva)
• maheśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa-tradition), quoting Pārvatī and introducing Śiva’s reply

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī
• Maheśa
• Śiva
• Prakṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation-oriented dharma begins with inquiry into self and the subtle forces of nature (prakṛti).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Kedāra setting is implied; the verse is primarily philosophical.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it prescribes reflection (vimarśa) as an inner discipline.