Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

यदि न स्यान्महामाया ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवार्चिता । तव देहोद्भवः पार्थ कथं स्यात्तत्त्वतो वद

Transliteration

yadi na syānmahāmāyā brahmaviṣṇuśivārcitā | tava dehodbhavaḥ pārtha kathaṃ syāttattvato vada

Translation

若那为梵天、毗湿奴与湿婆所礼敬的摩诃摩耶并不存在，噢，帕尔塔，你这具身躯的出生又怎能成立？如实说来。

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (conditional particle)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महामाया: the Great Māyā
• महामाया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—महā + माया (कर्मधारय)

• ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवार्चिता: worshipped by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva
• ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवार्चिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + विष्णु + शिव + अर्चित (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘अर्चित’—अर्च् (धातु) + क्त; समासः—ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवैः अर्चिता (तत्पुरुष; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

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

• देहोद्भवः: born from (your) body
• देहोद्भवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—देहात् उद्भवः (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष)

• पार्थ: O Pārtha
• पार्थ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• स्यात्: could be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्त्वतः: in truth; truly
• तत्त्वतः: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• वद: tell/speak
• वद: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disputant challenges ‘Pārtha’ with a pointed question: without Mahāmāyā worshipped by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva, how could bodily birth occur? The Trimūrti appear as witnesses to Devī’s supremacy.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāmāyā
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Śiva
• Pārtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devī as Mahāmāyā is affirmed as foundational to manifestation; even embodied existence depends upon Śakti.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse is theological, praising Devī’s cosmic necessity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated; it implicitly supports Devī-arcana (worship of the Goddess).