Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

एष साधारणः पंथाः साक्षात्कैवल्यसाधनः । महामुनिजनैः सेव्यो देवैरपि सुपूजितः

Transliteration

eṣa sādhāraṇaḥ paṃthāḥ sākṣātkaivalyasādhanaḥ | mahāmunijanaiḥ sevyo devairapi supūjitaḥ

Translation

This is the universal path, a direct means to kaivalya—liberating aloneness. It is served by great hosts of sages and is highly revered even by the gods.

Word by Word

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• साधारणः: common, general
• साधारणः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (adjective) एषः/पन्थाः इत्यस्य

• पन्थाः: path, way
• पन्थाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन्/पन्थन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly, manifestly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘directly/manifestly’

• कैवल्यसाधनः: means to liberation (kaivalya)
• कैवल्यसाधनः: Pradhana-pada (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैवल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): ‘कैवल्यस्य साधनः’

• महामुनिजनैः: by great sages
• महामुनिजनैः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासः ‘महामुनयः’ + ‘जनाः’ → ‘महामुनिजनाः’

• सेव्यः: to be served, worthy of practice
• सेव्यः: Pradhana-pada (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु) + य (कृत् प्रत्यय) → सेव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक-भाव्य (gerundive/तव्यत्-अर्थ): ‘सेवितव्यः’ (to be served)

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) ‘also/even’

• सुपूजितः: well worshipped, highly honoured
• सुपूजितः: Pradhana-pada (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + पूज् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → पूजित; सुपूजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle): ‘well-honoured’

Speaker

Narrator/Teacher within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa (contextual; not explicit in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene teaching scene: a luminous ‘path’ or road symbolically unfolding from Śiva’s presence, with great sages seated in reverent rows and devas offering flowers, indicating the path’s universality and divine approval.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Devas
• Mahāmunis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation is accessible through a universally applicable spiritual discipline, honored by sages and gods alike.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; the praise is for the universally revered Śaiva path (kathā/teachings) itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is prescribed here; it broadly commends following/serving this liberating path.