Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

यद्येवं सुविरक्तिः स्यात्संसारोपरि संस्थिता । समाराधय देवेशं शंकरं शशिशेखरम्

Transliteration

yadyevaṃ suviraktiḥ syātsaṃsāropari saṃsthitā | samārādhaya deveśaṃ śaṃkaraṃ śaśiśekharam

Translation

Wenn eine solche feste Entsagung erwacht ist, die über den Ansprüchen des weltlichen Lebens steht, dann verehre in voller Hingabe den Herrn der Götter—Śaṅkara, den Mondbekränzten.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तबोधक (conditional particle)

• एवं: thus, in this way
• एवं: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• सुविरक्तिः: strong dispassion
• सुविरक्तिः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + विरक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्यात्: may be, would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• संसारोपरि: beyond the world-cycle
• संसारोपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययत्व; अर्थः 'संसारस्य उपरि' (above/beyond saṃsāra)

• संस्थिता: situated, established
• संस्थिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग) + स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (सुविरक्तिः इति)

• समाराधय: worship, propitiate
• समाराधय: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आराध् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवेशम्: Lord of gods
• देवेशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् ईशः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; देवेशम् इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• शशिशेखरम्: moon-crested (Śiva)
• शशिशेखरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशि + शेखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शशिनः शेखरः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Unknown ascetic/teacher (issuing the core instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A renunciate-like devotee, calm and detached, stands before a moon-crested Śiva-liṅga or Śaṅkara form, hands in añjali, offering simple worship; the crescent moon and matted locks are prominent.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara
• Śaśiśekhara
• Deveśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vairāgya should culminate in devotion and worship: propitiating Śiva (Śaṅkara) is presented as the effective, dharmic path forward.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse praises Śiva rather than naming a particular site; within Tīrthamāhātmya chapters, such instruction typically supports tīrtha-based Śiva worship in the surrounding passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samārādhana (devotional worship/propitiation) of Śiva—implying pūjā, japa, and disciplined observance aligned with detachment.