Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

लोमश उवाच । अष्टादशपुराणेषु गीयते वै परः शिवः । तस्माच्छिवस्य माहात्म्यं वक्तुं कोऽपि न पार्यते

Transliteration

lomaśa uvāca | aṣṭādaśapurāṇeṣu gīyate vai paraḥ śivaḥ | tasmācchivasya māhātmyaṃ vaktuṃ ko'pi na pāryate

Translation

Lomaśa sprach: In allen achtzehn Purāṇas wird wahrlich der höchste Śiva besungen. Darum vermag niemand, Śivas Größe vollständig auszusprechen.

Word by Word

• लोमशः: Lomaśa (sage)
• लोमशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोमश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अष्टादशपुराणेषु: in the eighteen Purāṇas
• अष्टादशपुराणेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टादश + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• गीयते: is sung/praised
• गीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• परः: supreme
• परः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगे पञ्चमी-रूप (ablatival adverb: 'therefore/from that')

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness, glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वक्तुम्: to describe/speak
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), 'to speak'

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• पार्यते: is able (to accomplish)
• पार्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद, शक्यार्थे (sense: 'is able to')

Speaker

Lomaśa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Forest-sage Lomaśa speaking to attentive listeners, with a distant vision of snow-peaks and a radiant liṅga-symbolic aura suggesting Śiva’s immeasurable glory.

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Śiva
• Purāṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s greatness is inexhaustible—scripture praises Him endlessly, yet no description can fully contain Him.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

While the verse is theological, it occurs within Kedārakhaṇḍa, which proceeds to glorify Kedāra’s Śaiva sacred space.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the focus is on scriptural praise and the boundlessness of Śiva’s māhātmya.