Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

को मयाऽराध्यतां देवो हृदि चिंतयते भृशम् । इति चिंतयतस्तस्य मतिर्जाता महात्मनः

Transliteration

ko mayā'rādhyatāṃ devo hṛdi ciṃtayate bhṛśam | iti ciṃtayatastasya matirjātā mahātmanaḥ

Translation

“我当礼敬哪一位神明？”——他在心中深深思惟；当他如此思量时，那位大心者的意志便生起了。

Word by Word

• कः: who/which (god)
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नार्थक

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आराध्यताम्: should be worshipped
• आराध्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+राध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; विधिलिङ्गार्थे—‘let (him) be worshipped’

• देवः: god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• हृदि: in (his) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• चिन्तयते: thinks/reflects
• चिन्तयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• भृशम्: deeply/intensely
• भृशम्: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhṛśam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (intensifier adverb)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति-सूचक (quotative particle)

• चिन्तयतः: of him who was thinking
• चिन्तयतः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive absolute-like/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; ‘चिन्तयत्’ = thinking

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• मतिः: an idea/thought
• मतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• जाता: arose
• जाता: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘भू’ अर्थे—‘arose/was born’

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• महात्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः—‘महान् आत्मा यस्य’ (as epithet)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating Lohāsura’s inner thought)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (forest-assembly)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close, intimate scene: Lohāsura with eyes half-closed, hand on chest, the moment of decision forming—subtle radiance at the heart indicating emerging devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Lohāsura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual progress begins with focused intention—choosing a deity and concentrating the heart is portrayed as the seed of effective sādhana.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified in this verse; it highlights interior contemplation rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship/propitiation (ārādhana) is indicated broadly, without a named rite.