Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अभयः सर्वभूतेभ्यो यथांधबधिराकृतिः । न कर्मणां फलाकांक्षा शिवस्याराधनं हि तत्

Transliteration

abhayaḥ sarvabhūtebhyo yathāṃdhabadhirākṛtiḥ | na karmaṇāṃ phalākāṃkṣā śivasyārādhanaṃ hi tat

Translation

He grants fearlessness to all beings, as though blind and deaf to provocations. He does not yearn for the fruits of actions—this itself is truly the worship of Śiva.

Word by Word

• abhayaḥ: fearless
• abhayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण (adjectival use)

• sarvabhūtebhyaḥ: from all beings
• sarvabhūtebhyaḥ: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative; also Dative sense possible), बहुवचन; समासः—सर्वेषु भूतेषु (to/from all beings)

• yathā: as, like
• yathā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/तुलनार्थक (comparative particle: 'as/like')

• andha-badhira-ākṛtiḥ: a blind-and-deaf-like demeanor
• andha-badhira-ākṛtiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: andha (प्रातिपदिक) + badhira (प्रातिपदिक) + ākṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—अन्धश्च बधिरश्च (यस्य) सा आकृतिः/आकृतिरिव (blind-and-deaf-like form)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• karmaṇām: of actions
• karmaṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• phala-ākāṃkṣā: desire for results
• phala-ākāṃkṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक) + ākāṃkṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—फलस्य आकाङ्क्षा (desire for fruit/result)

• śivasya: of Śiva
• śivasya: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ārādhanam: worship
• ārādhanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ā-rādh (धातु) + ana (प्रत्यय) → ārādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; here predicate nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्त—भाववाचक (action noun: worship)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle: 'indeed')

• tat: that (is)
• tat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced; Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene ascetic-devotee stands near a Śiva-liṅga, calm amid insults and commotion; animals and people around him feel safe, as if protected by his presence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship of Śiva is desireless action and harmlessness—granting safety to all beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it defines Śiva-worship through inner conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse elevates niṣkāma-karma and abhaya-dāna (non-harm) as the core ‘ritual’ of Śiva devotion.