Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

। लोमश उवाच । कर्मणा परिभूतो हि महेंद्रो गुरुमब्रवीत् । विना यत्नेन संक्लेसात्तर्तुं कर्म्म किमुच्यताम्

Transliteration

| lomaśa uvāca | karmaṇā paribhūto hi maheṃdro gurumabravīt | vinā yatnena saṃklesāttartuṃ karmma kimucyatām

Translation

لوماش نے کہا: اپنے ہی کرم کے زور سے مغلوب مہندر (اِندر) نے اپنے گرو سے کہا—“بغیر سخت کوشش اور کلفت کے اس کرم کی آفت سے پار اترنے کا کیا اُپائے بتایا گیا ہے؟”

Word by Word

• लोमशः: Lomaśa
• लोमशः: Karta (वक्ता/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोमश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• कर्मणा: by karma (by action/deed)
• कर्मणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• परिभूतः: overpowered/defeated
• परिभूतः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमनाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-भू (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• महेंद्रः: Mahendra (Indra)
• महेंद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेंद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• गुरुम्: the teacher
• गुरुम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय/पूर्वपद-निषेध (preposition-like indeclinable), ‘without’ अर्थे; तृतीया-संबन्धः

• यत्नेन: by effort
• यत्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• संक्लेसात्: from distress/affliction
• संक्लेसात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• तर्तुम्: to cross/overcome
• तर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitival purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive), ‘to cross/overcome’ अर्थे

• कर्म: karma (deed/fate)
• कर्म: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• उच्यताम्: let it be said/told
• उच्यताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘let it be said’

Speaker

Lomaśa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, weighed down by unseen karmic force, bows or turns toward Bṛhaspati in a celestial hall; the mood is grave, with dimmed splendor of Amarāvatī and a sense of impending departure.

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Indra (Mahendra)
• Guru (Bṛhaspati, implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When karma ripens into suffering, one should seek the guidance of a guru and ask for a dharmic path of release.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Kedārakhaṇḍa (Kedāra sacred region), though this verse is a dialogue setup rather than direct tīrtha praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is mentioned here; it introduces the search for a means to overcome karmic distress.