Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

कृत्वा प्रतोदमोंकारं मुखग्राह्यं महेश्वरः । धातारं चाग्रतः कृत्वा विधातारं च पृष्ठतः

Transliteration

kṛtvā pratodamoṃkāraṃ mukhagrāhyaṃ maheśvaraḥ | dhātāraṃ cāgrataḥ kṛtvā vidhātāraṃ ca pṛṣṭhataḥ

Translation

مہیشور نے پروتود کو ‘اومکار’ کی صورت بنایا جو آگے تھامنے کے لائق تھا؛ اور دھاتَر کو سامنے اور ودھاتَر کو پیچھے مقرر کیا۔

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), धातु: कृ, अर्थ: ‘having done’

• प्रतोद: goad, whip
• प्रतोद: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतोद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• ओंकारम्: the syllable Oṃ
• ओंकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मुखग्राह्यम्: to be held in the mouth
• मुखग्राह्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख + ग्राह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘by/with the mouth’ + ‘to be grasped/held’)

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• धातारम्: Dhātṛ (the Creator)
• धातारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Locative sense/स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• कृत्वा: having placed/made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), धातु: कृ

• विधातारम्: Vidhātṛ (the Ordainer/Creator)
• विधातारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पृष्ठतः: behind
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikarana (Locative sense/स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tirtha-mandala

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Maheśvara fashions a radiant chariot: the goad is the syllable Oṃ, held at the fore; Dhātṛ stands ahead as the stabilizing creator, Vidhātṛ behind as the arranger—cosmic officials positioned like attendants of a divine vehicle.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Oṃkāra (Oṃ)
• Dhātṛ
• Vidhātṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Oṃ is presented as the driving impulse of sacred action, while cosmic order (Dhātṛ/Vidhātṛ) stands arranged under Śiva’s command.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) sacred setting frames the narration; this verse itself is doctrinal-symbolic rather than site-specific.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; however, it elevates Oṃkāra as a foundational sacred principle often central to japa and meditation.