Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

शुद्धं धवलितं ये च कुर्वन्ति हरमंदिरम् । स्वीयं परकृतं चापि तेऽपि यांति परां गतिम्

Transliteration

śuddhaṃ dhavalitaṃ ye ca kurvanti haramaṃdiram | svīyaṃ parakṛtaṃ cāpi te'pi yāṃti parāṃ gatim

Translation

Wer den Tempel Haras (Śivas) reinigt und weißtüncht, sei es den eigenen oder den von einem anderen errichteten, der gelangt ebenfalls zum höchsten Zustand.

Word by Word

• śuddham: pure
• śuddham: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• dhavalitam: whitened
• dhavalitam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhavalita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (धवलित = whitened)

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• kurvanti: make/do
• kurvanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• hara-mandiram: Hara's temple
• hara-mandiram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara + mandira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हरस्य मन्दिरम्)

• svīyam: one's own
• svīyam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• parakṛtam: done by another
• parakṛtam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para + kṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (परेण कृतम्)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also)

• yānti: go/attain
• yānti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• parām: supreme
• parām: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• gatim: state/goal
• gatim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees scrubbing floors and walls of a Śiva temple, applying fresh whitewash; the sanctum glows; the act is shown as worship with offerings nearby; a serene aura indicates inner purification.

Characters & Entities

• Hara
• Śiva temple

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humble maintenance of holy places is equal in spiritual value to grand acts, leading toward the highest goal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s sacred Śaiva setting, where temple-service is celebrated as liberating.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Cleaning and whitewashing a Śiva temple, including temples one does not personally own.