Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

छिद्यतां सूत्रधारेण विद्यापरशुनाधुना । भजामि तव शिष्योऽहं वरिवस्यापरश्चिरम्

Transliteration

chidyatāṃ sūtradhāreṇa vidyāparaśunādhunā | bhajāmi tava śiṣyo'haṃ varivasyāparaściram

Translation

Xin cho sợi chỉ dẫn đường và lưỡi rìu của chân tri thức cắt đứt điều ấy ngay bây giờ. Con nương tựa nơi Ngài như một đệ tử của Ngài; bấy lâu nay con chỉ phụng sự sự thờ cúng bên ngoài, chưa bước vào kỷ luật nội tâm cao thượng.

Word by Word

• chidyatām: let (it) be cut
• chidyatām: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √chid (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘let it be cut’

• sūtradhāreṇa: by the director/holder of the thread; guide
• sūtradhāreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūtradhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• vidyāparaśunā: with the axe of knowledge
• vidyāparaśunā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā + paraśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• adhunā: now
• adhunā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhunā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• bhajāmi: I worship / I serve
• bhajāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhaj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• tava: of you; your
• tava: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• śiṣyaḥ: disciple
• śiṣyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• varivasya: service; worship
• varivasya: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varivasya (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्; ‘service, worship’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण

• aparaḥ: other; another (one)
• aparaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (as ‘another/other’)

• ciram: for a long time
• ciram: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ciram (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of duration)

Speaker

Unspecified (context suggests a supplicant addressing a revered teacher/ascetic)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The disciple, holding flowers from prior outward worship, now kneels as the guru extends a ‘thread’ of guidance (a luminous sūtra) and raises an axe of knowledge; the disciple’s bonds (ropes/vines) are being severed.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual progress requires guidance and knowledge that cuts through confusion; discipleship is a conscious turning from mere externalism to inner transformation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific place is mentioned; the verse focuses on guru-guided liberation rather than a location-mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No fixed rite is stated; the verse contrasts mere ritual service (varivasyā) with the higher ‘cutting’ power of knowledge and guidance.