Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

करपात्रकृताहारः सर्वथा निष्परिग्रहः । भावयन्ब्रह्म परमं प्रणवाभिधमीश्वरम्

Transliteration

karapātrakṛtāhāraḥ sarvathā niṣparigrahaḥ | bhāvayanbrahma paramaṃ praṇavābhidhamīśvaram

Translation

Er nimmt seine Speise aus der Hand als Schale, ist gänzlich ohne Besitz und betrachtet unablässig das höchste Brahman—Īśvara, der als Pranava (Oṃ) benannt wird.

Word by Word

• करपात्रकृताहारः: one whose food is taken using the hand as a bowl
• करपात्रकृताहारः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर + पात्र + कृत + आहार (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातुज कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; (करपात्रेण कृतः आहारः यस्य)

• सर्वथा: in every way, entirely
• सर्वथा: Modifier (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय; अर्थः—सर्वप्रकारेण

• निष्परिग्रहः: without possessions
• निष्परिग्रहः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + परिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; (परिग्रहः नास्ति यस्य)

• भावयन्: meditating on, contemplating
• भावयन्: Karta (Participial/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘भावयन्’ = ध्यायन्/वर्धयन्

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karman (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्मणः)

• प्रणवाभिधम्: named ‘Praṇava’ (Oṃ)
• प्रणवाभिधम्: Karman (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणव + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; (प्रणवः अभिधा/नाम यस्य)

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (describing Saṃvarta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage eats from his palm, owning nothing, seated in still meditation with Oṃ as the luminous focus; the concealed liṅga motif remains implicit, emphasizing inner worship.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃvarta
• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Īśvara
• Brahman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Renunciation and constant contemplation of Īśvara (Oṃ) are portrayed as marks of a liberated-oriented life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The practice is described in connection with Saṃvarta who dwells in Kāśī (from the preceding verse), strengthening Kāśī’s yogic and liberative identity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditative remembrance of the Pranava (Oṃ) as the name of Īśvara is indicated (a japa/dhyāna orientation).