Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

एका स्थिता परा शक्तिर्ब्रह्मविद्यात्मलक्षणा । गणेशो विस्मयाविष्टो ह्यवलोकनतत्परः

Transliteration

ekā sthitā parā śaktirbrahmavidyātmalakṣaṇā | gaṇeśo vismayāviṣṭo hyavalokanatatparaḥ

Translation

Dort stand die eine höchste Śakti, deren Wesen Brahma-vidyā ist, die Erkenntnis des Absoluten. Gaṇeśa, von Staunen erfüllt, blieb einzig darauf bedacht, Sie zu schauen.

Word by Word

• एका: one, single
• एका: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; "शक्तिः"-विशेषण

• स्थिताः: standing, established
• स्थिताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; "शक्तिः"-विशेषण

• परा: supreme
• परा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; "शक्तिः"-विशेषण

• शक्तिः: power, Śakti
• शक्तिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मविद्यात्मलक्षणा: whose characteristic is the very essence of Brahma-knowledge
• ब्रह्मविद्यात्मलक्षणा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मविद्या-आत्म-लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मविद्यायाः आत्मा/स्वरूपं लक्षणं यस्याः) बहुपदसमास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; "शक्तिः"-विशेषण

• गणेशः: Gaṇeśa
• गणेशः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विस्मयाविष्टः: overcome by astonishment
• विस्मयाविष्टः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय-आविष्ट (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: समास: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (विस्मयेन आविष्टः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; "गणेशः"-विशेषण

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• अवलोकनतत्परः: intent on looking/observing
• अवलोकनतत्परः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवलोकन-तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (अवलोकने तत्परः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; "गणेशः"-विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa) to the Ṛṣis (contextual attribution for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Śiva-Śakti revelation context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A singular radiant feminine presence—Parā Śakti—stands luminous and still, embodying brahmavidyā; Gaṇeśa gazes in absorbed wonder, the background subdued to emphasize one-pointed vision.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśakti
• Brahmavidyā
• Gaṇeśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supreme realization (Brahma-vidyā) is personified as Parāśakti, and true devotion begins with awed, steady contemplation (darśana).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within the Kedārakhaṇḍa, associated with the sacred Kedāra (Kedarnath) region’s śaiva-sthala narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the emphasis is on reverent beholding (darśana) and contemplative absorption.