Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 119

Devanagari script

निवृत्तः सर्वतत्त्वज्ञः कामक्रोधविवर्जितः । ध्यानस्थानिष्क्रियो दांतस्तुल्यमृत्कांचनो मुनिः

Transliteration

nivṛttaḥ sarvatattvajñaḥ kāmakrodhavivarjitaḥ | dhyānasthāniṣkriyo dāṃtastulyamṛtkāṃcano muniḥ

Translation

Von weltlichen Bestrebungen abgewandt, die Wahrheit aller Tattvas kennend, frei von Begierde und Zorn; in Meditation verweilend, ohne Handeln, gezügelt—Ton und Gold als gleich erblickend—ein solcher ist ein muni (schweigsamer Weiser).

Word by Word

• nivṛttaḥ: withdrawn, detached
• nivṛttaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nivṛtta (प्रातिपदिक; √vṛt-वृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त—‘निवृत्तः’ (withdrawn/ceased)

• sarva-tattva-jñaḥ: knower of all truths
• sarva-tattva-jñaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘सर्वेषां तत्त्वानां ज्ञः’ (knower of all principles)

• kāma-krodha-vivarjitaḥ: free from lust and anger
• kāma-krodha-vivarjitaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + krodha (प्रातिपदिक) + vivarjita (प्रातिपदिक; √vṛj/varj-वर्ज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘कामक्रोधाभ्यां विवर्जितः’ (free from desire and anger)

• dhyāna-sthāniṣkriyaḥ: motionless in meditation
• dhyāna-sthāniṣkriyaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + sthāna (प्रातिपदिक) + niṣkriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘ध्यानस्थाने निष्क्रियः’ (inactive/steadied in the state of meditation)

• dāntaḥ: self-restrained
• dāntaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dānta (प्रातिपदिक; √dam-दम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त—‘दमितः’ (self-controlled)

• tulya-mṛt-kāñcanaḥ: seeing clay and gold as equal
• tulya-mṛt-kāñcanaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tulya (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + kāñcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘मृदः काञ्चनस्य च तुल्यः’ (equal-minded toward clay and gold)

• muniḥ: sage
• muniḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A silent sage (muni) seated on a kusa mat, eyes half-closed, hands in dhyāna-mudrā; before him lie a lump of clay and a gold ornament, both ignored; a faint aura of stillness; disciples sit quietly at a distance.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true sage is recognized by inner renunciation, meditation, and equanimity beyond desire and anger.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly praised; the verse teaches the dharma of inner withdrawal.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditative absorption (dhyāna) and restraint (dama), presented as the muni’s discipline.