Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

पुरा पंचमुखो भूत्वा गर्वितोसि सदाशिवम् । कृतश्चतुर्मुखस्तेन विस्मृतोऽसि तदद्भुतम्

Transliteration

purā paṃcamukho bhūtvā garvitosi sadāśivam | kṛtaścaturmukhastena vismṛto'si tadadbhutam

Translation

กาลก่อนท่านเคยเป็นผู้มีห้าพักตร์ แล้วเกิดความทะนงต่อพระสทาศิวะ ครั้นพระองค์ทรงทำให้ท่านเหลือสี่พักตร์ ท่านลืมเหตุอัศจรรย์นั้นแล้วหรือ

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly, once
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• पञ्चमुखः: five-faced
• पञ्चमुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः द्विगुः (पञ्च मुखानि यस्य)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘भू’ धातोः

• गर्वितः: proud
• गर्वितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्वित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सदाशिवम्: Sadāśiva
• सदाशिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदाशिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सदा शिवः)

• कृतः: made, rendered
• कृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• चतुर्मुखः: four-faced
• चतुर्मुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः द्विगुः (चत्वारि मुखानि यस्य)

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• विस्मृतः: forgotten (you became forgetful)
• विस्मृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: वि + स्मृ; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful, marvelous
• अद्भुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘तत्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Devī (deduced; addressing Brahmā’s mythic episode)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā (reproved)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Flashback tableau: Brahmā once five-faced, swollen with pride, confronted by Sadāśiva; the moment of reduction to four faces—an awe-filled, corrective miracle.

Characters & Entities

• Sadāśiva
• Brahmā (implied as the addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pride, even in exalted beings, is corrected by the Supreme; humility is essential for dharma and spiritual authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a site-specific verse; it supports Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Śaiva Mahātmya by asserting Sadāśiva’s supremacy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a doctrinal reminder underpinning proper ritual hierarchy.