Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

श्मशानवास आसीस्त्वं नग्नत्वान्न तव त्रपा । निर्घृणत्वं कपालित्वादेवं कः शक्नुयात्तवं

Transliteration

śmaśānavāsa āsīstvaṃ nagnatvānna tava trapā | nirghṛṇatvaṃ kapālitvādevaṃ kaḥ śaknuyāttavaṃ

Translation

“You dwelt in cremation-grounds; because of nakedness you have no shame. From skull-bearing comes mercilessness—so who could ever restrain you?”

Word by Word

• श्मशान-वासः: dwelling in the cremation-ground
• श्मशान-वासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक) + वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (श्मशाने वासः)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• नग्नत्वात्: from nakedness/because of being naked
• नग्नत्वात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नग्न (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन (Singular); भाववाचक-तद्धित (-त्व)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• तव: your/of you
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्रपा: shame/modesty
• त्रपा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• निर्घृणत्वम्: mercilessness
• निर्घृणत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्घृण (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); भाववाचक-तद्धित (-त्व)

• कपालित्वात्: from being a skull-bearer (kapālin)
• कपालित्वात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपालिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन (Singular); भाववाचक-तद्धित (-त्व)

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular), प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• शक्नुयात्: could be able
• शक्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/Potential), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तव: you
• तव: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular) (Vedic/epic usage: तव for त्वाम्)

Speaker

Girijā/Sailajā (Pārvatī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śmaśāna (archetypal)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark cremation-ground tableau: ash heaps, skull-bowl, a naked or minimally clad kapālika-like figure, the speaker describing shamelessness and mercilessness, with funeral pyre smoke in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Kapālin)
• Śmaśāna (cremation-ground)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse uses fierce Shaiva imagery to question unchecked harshness, implying that true greatness must be balanced with compassion and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha; śmaśāna is invoked as a Shaiva sacred motif rather than a named pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.