Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

निर्विकल्पो निराहारः स राजा दृढनिश्चयः । अर्चयामास गौरीशं दिवा नक्त मनन्यधीः

Transliteration

nirvikalpo nirāhāraḥ sa rājā dṛḍhaniścayaḥ | arcayāmāsa gaurīśaṃ divā nakta mananyadhīḥ

Translation

Free from wavering, fasting, and firm in resolve, that king—his mind fixed on none other—worshipped Gaurī’s Lord (Śiva) by day and by night.

Word by Word

• निर्विकल्पः: undistracted; without wavering
• निर्विकल्पः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + विकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण ‘free from doubt/alternative’

• निराहारः: fasting
• निराहारः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण ‘without food/fasting’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दृढ-निश्चयः: firm in resolve
• दृढ-निश्चयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक) + निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘firm-determined’

• अर्चयामास: worshipped
• अर्चयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect) परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परिप्रयोगः ‘अर्चयामास’ (periphrastic perfect)

• गौरीशम्: Gaurīśa (Śiva)
• गौरीशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘Lord of Gaurī’ (Śiva)

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: by day)

• नक्तम्: by night
• नक्तम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्तम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: by night)

• मनन्यधीः: with single-pointed mind
• मनन्यधीः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि ‘whose mind is not elsewhere’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla (Ujjayinī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Candrasena in the temple, fasting, eyes steady, offering bilva leaves and water to Śiva (Gaurīśa), lamps burning through night as he continues worship without distraction.

Characters & Entities

• Gaurīśa (Śiva)
• Mahākāla (context)
• Candrasena (context)
• Ujjayinī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady resolve, fasting, and one-pointed devotion (ananya-bhakti) are portrayed as the royal path to divine protection and victory.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mahākāla’s sacred sphere at Ujjayinī (Ujjain), where Śiva responds to sincere worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Fasting (nirāhāra) and continuous worship/arcana of Śiva (Gaurīśa) by day and night with exclusive focus.