Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 177

Devanagari script

मंतव्यमथ बोद्धव्यं सप्तैताः समिधो मम । हुतं नारायणध्यानाद्भुंक्ते नारायणः स्वयम्

Transliteration

maṃtavyamatha boddhavyaṃ saptaitāḥ samidho mama | hutaṃ nārāyaṇadhyānādbhuṃkte nārāyaṇaḥ svayam

Translation

Ito ang dapat pagnilayan at maunawaang wasto: ang pitong ito ang aking mga panggatong na patpat (samidh). Ang handog na iniaalay sa pamamagitan ng pagninilay kay Nārāyaṇa—si Nārāyaṇa mismo ang tumatanggap at lumalasap ng handog na iyon.

Word by Word

• mantavyam: should be contemplated
• mantavyam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: man (धातु) + tavya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे/कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘to be thought/should be considered’

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• boddhavyam: should be understood
• boddhavyam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: budh (धातु) + tavya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be known/should be understood’

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण, (एताः इति सर्वनामस्य विशेषणम्)

• etāḥ: these
• etāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• samidhaḥ: fuel-sticks (for sacrifice)
• samidhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samidh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• mama: of me, my
• mama: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• hutam: offered (as oblation)
• hutam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hu (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘offered/oblation offered’

• nārāyaṇa-dhyānāt: from (the) meditation on Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇa-dhyānāt: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नारायणस्य ध्यानम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• bhuṅkte: enjoys, consumes
• bhuṅkte: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Sambandha (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वार्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable: self/oneself)

Speaker

A spiritually realized son (speaker not named in the snippet; Kaumārikākhaṇḍa narrative context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An inner altar within the heart-lotus where seven samidh-like rays feed a flame; above, Nārāyaṇa appears as the subtle enjoyer of the offering, serene and all-pervading.

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Meditation is portrayed as a true sacrifice: offerings made in Nārāyaṇa-dhyāna reach the Divine directly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse emphasizes inner worship through dhyāna.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nārāyaṇa-dhyāna (meditation on Nārāyaṇa) is prescribed as the means of ‘offering’ in an inner yajña.