Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

आयुष्यं च गतं तस्य शिवध्यानपरस्य च । शिवो हि सुलभो लोके पशूनां ज्ञाननिनामपि

Transliteration

āyuṣyaṃ ca gataṃ tasya śivadhyānaparasya ca | śivo hi sulabho loke paśūnāṃ jñānanināmapi

Translation

Obwohl seine Lebenszeit dahinschwand, blieb er ganz dem Śiva-Dhyāna hingegeben; denn in dieser Welt ist Śiva wahrlich leicht zu erlangen – selbst für gebundene Seelen und selbst für Menschen von geringem Verständnis.

Word by Word

• आयुष्यम्: lifespan
• आयुष्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• गतम्: elapsed
• गतम्: Kriya (Predicate adjective/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘gone/elapsed’

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• शिवध्यानपरस्य: of one devoted to Śiva-meditation
• शिवध्यानपरस्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव-ध्यान-पर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘शिवध्यानं प्रति परः’ (devoted to meditation on Śiva)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/खलु-अर्थ

• सुलभः: easily attainable
• सुलभः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुलभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• पशूनाम्: of creatures
• पशूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• ज्ञाननिनाम्: of the knowers (jñānins)
• ज्ञाननिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान-निन् (प्रातिपदिक; तद्धित/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘jñānin’ (knower) रूप—पाठभेद-संभव (ज्ञानिनाम् अपेक्षित)

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

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aging devotee in meditation before Śiva as time passes; despite frailty, his mind remains fixed; Śiva’s presence appears gentle and near, suggesting ‘sulabhatā’ (easy attainability).

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s grace is accessible; sincere meditation can uplift even the bound and unlearned.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra as presented in the Kedārakhaṇḍa, where Śiva’s accessibility and merit are celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditation (dhyāna) on Śiva is emphasized; no detailed ritual steps are specified in this verse.