Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 114

Devanagari script

षट्पंचाशत्तथा पूर्वाश्चतुःषष्टिरिमे गुणाः । ब्राह्मये पदे प्रवर्तंते गुह्यमेतत्तवेरितम्

Transliteration

ṣaṭpaṃcāśattathā pūrvāścatuḥṣaṣṭirime guṇāḥ | brāhmaye pade pravartaṃte guhyametattaveritam

Translation

چھپن اور اسی سے پہلے والے—یہ چونسٹھ اوصاف حالتِ برہما میں کارفرما ہوتے ہیں۔ یہ ایک رازدارانہ تعلیم ہے جو آپ نے بیان فرمائی۔

Word by Word

• ṣaṭpañcāśat: fifty-six
• ṣaṭpañcāśat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ + pañcāśat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषणम्; स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (numeral adjective; feminine nominative singular)

• tathā: and also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अन्वय-अव्ययम् (connective adverb: 'and/also')

• pūrvāḥ: earlier/previous
• pūrvāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (masculine nominative plural)

• catuḥṣaṣṭiḥ: sixty-four
• catuḥṣaṣṭiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catuḥ + ṣaṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-नाम; स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (numeral noun; feminine nominative singular)

• ime: these
• ime: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (masculine nominative plural)

• guṇāḥ: qualities/powers
• guṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (masculine nominative plural)

• brāhmaye: in the Brāhmya (state/plane)
• brāhmaye: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brāhmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (neuter locative singular)

• pade: in the state/position
• pade: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (neuter locative singular)

• pravartante: arise/operate
• pravartante: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम् (present indicative; 3rd person plural; Ātmanepada)

• guhyam: secret
• guhyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (neuter nominative/accusative singular)

• etat: this
• etat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (neuter nominative/accusative singular)

• tava: of you/your
• tava: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचनम् (genitive singular)

• īritam: spoken/declared
• īritam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicate (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √īr (धातु) + -ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (past passive participle; neuter nom/acc sg)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet teaching scene: a guru reveals a ‘secret’ enumeration of qualities leading to the brahma-state; palm-leaf manuscript, rosary, and a subdued ascetic setting.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest classified powers are framed as ‘secret knowledge,’ implying the need for right guidance and non-attachment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No earthly pilgrimage site is praised; the verse points to Brahmapada/Brahmaloka as a doctrinal reference.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it emphasizes the esoteric nature of the teaching.