Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 14
Devanagari script
अथवा पारमाहात्म्ये सति तेषां महात्मनाम् । अल्पे कृते वर्णने स्याद्दोष एव महान्मम
Transliteration
athavā pāramāhātmye sati teṣāṃ mahātmanām | alpe kṛte varṇane syāddoṣa eva mahānmama
Translation
又或者——那些大灵者的伟大无有边际——若我仅以寥寥数语描写他们，过失确实将全归于我。
Word by Word
अथवाor else
अथवा:
Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथवा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (alternative particle)
पारमाहात्म्येin (its) supreme greatness
पारमाहात्म्ये:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootपारमाहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी); एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of circumstance)
सतिbeing (present)
सति:
Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअस् (धातु) + सत् (कृदन्त, शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
Formसत्-शब्दः; सप्तमी एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)
तेषाम्of them
तेषाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी); बहुवचन; सर्वनाम
महात्मनाम्of the great-souled ones
महात्मनाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootमहात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी); बहुवचन
अल्पेin a small (amount)
अल्पे:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी); एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)
कृतेwhen done
कृते:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootकृ (धातु) + कृत (कृदन्त, क्त/भूतकर्मणि)
Formकृत-शब्दः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी-सम्बद्ध (in the case of being done)
वर्णनेin the description
वर्णने:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी); एकवचन
स्यात्would be
स्यात्:
Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद
दोषःa fault
दोषः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदोष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा); एकवचन
एवindeed
एव:
Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)
महान्great
महान्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा); एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying दोषः)
ममof me / my
मम:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी); एकवचन; सर्वनाम
Speaker
Nārada
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Ravi (Sūrya)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A narrator (likely Skanda/Kaumāra voice) pauses mid-narration, hands in añjali, expressing that the greatness of the honored brāhmaṇa-saints is boundless and that brief description would be his fault.
Characters & Entities
N
NāradaM
Mahātmanas (the revered Brāhmaṇas)FAQs
The greatness of the righteous is immeasurable; humility is required when speaking of saints and sacred communities.
The verse indirectly supports the mahātmya of a sacred community, but does not name a location.
None.