Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

सर्वपापविशुद्ध्यर्थं शिवलोके महीयते । नीलोत्सर्गं तु यो मर्त्यः करोति च तदग्रतः

Transliteration

sarvapāpaviśuddhyarthaṃ śivaloke mahīyate | nīlotsargaṃ tu yo martyaḥ karoti ca tadagrataḥ

Translation

لأجل التطهير من جميع الآثام يُكرَّم في عالم شيفا. وأمّا الإنسان الفاني الذي يُجري قربان «نيلوتسارغا» أمام تلك الحضرة المقدّسة، فينال هذا الفضل.

Word by Word

• सर्वपापविशुद्ध्यर्थम्: for the purpose of purification from all sins
• सर्वपापविशुद्ध्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पाप + विशुद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/प्रयोजनार्थ), एकवचन; समासः—(सर्वपापानां विशुद्ध्यर्थम्) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• शिवलोके: in Śiva’s world
• शिवलोके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य लोकः)

• महीयते: is honored/glorified
• महीयते: Kriyā (Result/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is honored/glorified)

• नीलोत्सर्गम्: the offering/releasing of a blue (item)
• नीलोत्सर्गम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील + उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नीलस्य उत्सर्गः/नील-उत्सर्गः)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Discourse particle (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/contrast)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• मर्त्यः: a mortal
• मर्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• करोति: does/performs
• करोति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• तदग्रतः: in front of him/there
• तदग्रतः: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अग्रतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverbial): तस्य अग्रतः = in front of that/him

Speaker

Unspecified (Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Indreśvara (Dharmāraṇya)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In front of the liṅga, a devotee performs a formal utsarga: a blue-hued offering (symbolic of 'nīla') is released/placed with mantra; priests witness; the scene suggests solemnity and otherworldly radiance hinting at Śivaloka.

Characters & Entities

• Śivaloka
• Indreśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Place-based Śaiva rites and vowed offerings are presented as direct causes of purification and exalted posthumous honor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indreśvara/Indratīrtha within Dharmāraṇya, where the rite is performed ‘before’ the sacred presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform nīlotsarga as a vowed offering in the deity’s/tīrtha’s presence.