Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

कपोताय विशिष्टाय शिष्टाय परमात्मने । वेदाय वेदबीजाय देवगुह्याय वै नमः

Transliteration

kapotāya viśiṣṭāya śiṣṭāya paramātmane | vedāya vedabījāya devaguhyāya vai namaḥ

Translation

Wahrlich, Verehrung dem, der «Kapotāya» genannt wird, dem höchst Ausgezeichneten; der Zuflucht der Gebildeten und Rechtschaffenen; dem höchsten Selbst. Verehrung dem, der der Veda selbst ist, der Same der Veden und das göttliche Geheimnis, verborgen selbst vor den Göttern.

Word by Word

• कपोताय: to the dove (as an epithet)
• कपोताय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपोत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• विशिष्टाय: to the distinguished/excellent one
• विशिष्टाय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √शिष् (धातु) + वि + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त

• शिष्टाय: to the noble/learned one
• शिष्टाय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √शास् (धातु) + क्त / अथवा √शिष् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त; ‘सज्जन/शिक्षित’ अर्थे

• परमात्मने: to the Supreme Self
• परमात्मने: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; परम + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (परमः आत्मा)

• वेदाय: to the Veda
• वेदाय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• वेदबीजाय: to the seed of the Veda
• वेदबीजाय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदबीज (प्रातिपदिक; वेद + बीज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य बीजम्)

• देवगुह्याय: to the gods’ secret (mystic) one
• देवगुह्याय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देवगुह्य (प्रातिपदिक; देव + गुह्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां गुह्यम्/गुह्यः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: भाव (Salutation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva as luminous Paramātman behind the liṅga; Vedic syllables emerge as light-seeds; gods stand in reverent distance, suggesting ‘hidden even from gods’; a white dove/pigeon motif (kapota) appears as a symbolic epithet marker.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is praised as the Supreme Self and the hidden source of Vedic wisdom; devotion recognizes Him as both scripture and its inner essence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Kedārakhaṇḍa context, aligning the praise with Kedāra/Kedārnātha and the Himalayan sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the act implied is stuti/japa—recitation of Śiva’s names as devotional worship.