Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

प्रतिपाद्यं हि यत्किंचिच्छब्देनैव विना कथम् । तत्सर्वं कथ्यतां शंभो कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ

Transliteration

pratipādyaṃ hi yatkiṃcicchabdenaiva vinā katham | tatsarvaṃ kathyatāṃ śaṃbho kāryākāryavyavasthitau

Translation

كلُّ ما يُراد بيانه، كيف يُبلَّغ من غير ألفاظ؟ فلهذا، يا شَمبهو، فَسِّرْه كلَّه: التمييزَ القويمَ بين ما ينبغي فعله وما لا ينبغي فعله.

Word by Word

• प्रतिपाद्यम्: that which is to be explained
• प्रतिपाद्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति + पद् (धातु) → प्रतिपाद्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; यत्/ण्यत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be explained/established’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Hetu (Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक-निपात

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• किंचित्: anything
• किंचित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• शब्देन: by/with words
• शब्देन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• एव: only
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• विना: without
• विना: Apādāna (Separation/without)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोगार्थक-उपपद (without; governs तृतीया/पञ्चमी)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कथ्यताम्: let it be told/explained
• कथ्यताम्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• शंभो: O Śambhu
• शंभो: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ: the determination of duty and non-duty
• कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अकार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+अव+स्था (धातु)+क्त)
• Form: समाहार/तत्पुरुष-समास (sense: ‘kārya-akārya-vyavasthitiḥ’ = determination of what is to be done and not done); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (पाठे ‘व्यवस्थितौ’ इति रूपं; अर्थतः ‘व्यवस्थितिः’/‘व्यवस्था’)

Speaker

Unspecified (questioner addressing Śambhu/Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A supplicant (Yama or a seeker) asks Śambhu to teach dharma; two paths appear—one bright (kartavya) and one dark (akartavya)—with signposts formed of Sanskrit letters (śabda).

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu
• Śabda
• Dharma (kārya/akārya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires clear articulation; words are the vehicle for discerning right action from wrong action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Set within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s sacred geography, though the verse itself requests instruction rather than praising a specific spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated; the request is for doctrinal guidance on conduct (kārya/akārya).