Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

विहाय सकलान्धर्मान्सकलागमनिश्चितान् । शिवमेकं भजेद्यस्तु मुच्यते सर्वबन्धनात्

Transliteration

vihāya sakalāndharmānsakalāgamaniścitān | śivamekaṃ bhajedyastu mucyate sarvabandhanāt

Translation

Wer alle (anderen) Dharmas aufgibt, obgleich sie von allen Āgamas bestätigt sind, und allein Śiva verehrt, wird von jeder Fessel befreit.

Word by Word

• विहाय: having abandoned
• विहाय: Kriya (Gerundial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि√हा (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त-अव्यय (gerund): 'having abandoned'

• सकलान्: all
• सकलान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; adjective qualifying 'धर्मान्': 'all'

• धर्मान्: duties
• धर्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'duties/religious practices'

• सकल: all
• सकल: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; adjective qualifying 'निश्चितान्': 'all'

• आगम: scriptural (traditions)
• आगम: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, (समासपूर्वपद) 'scriptures/traditions'

• निश्चितान्: prescribed/determined
• निश्चितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि√शि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'determined/laid down' (by āgamas)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; object of 'भजेत्'

• एकम्: alone
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective to 'शिवम्': 'one/alone'

• भजेत्: should worship
• भजेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; 'should worship/serve'

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

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-अव्यय (particle): 'but/indeed'

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): 'is released'

• सर्व: from all
• सर्व: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective to 'बन्धनात्': 'from all'

• बन्धनात्: from bondage
• बन्धनात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ablative: 'from bondage'

Speaker

Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seeker stands at a crossroads of many ritual paths and scrolls labeled ‘āgama’; turning away, he walks toward a luminous Śiva-liṅga or Śiva as the sole refuge; chains fall away from his wrists and ankles.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Āgamas
• Sūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Single-pointed devotion to Śiva is portrayed as a direct means to freedom from bondage.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

No place is named; the verse emphasizes sādhana (practice) rather than geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhajana/upāsanā of Śiva alone (exclusive devotion) is prescribed as liberative.