Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 113

Devanagari script

असादृश्यमिदं व्यक्तं निर्वाणं च पृथक्पृथक् । शुभेतरस्य कर्तृत्वमष्टौ बुद्धिभवास्त्वमी

Transliteration

asādṛśyamidaṃ vyaktaṃ nirvāṇaṃ ca pṛthakpṛthak | śubhetarasya kartṛtvamaṣṭau buddhibhavāstvamī

Translation

A manifest uniqueness beyond all comparison; nirvāṇa experienced distinctly, each in its own mode; and agency over both the auspicious and the inauspicious—these are said to be eight attainments born of buddhi (intellect).

Word by Word

• असादृश्यम्: dissimilarity; unlikeness
• असादृश्यम्: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + सादृश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Deictic qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc. singular; सर्वनाम

• व्यक्तम्: manifest; clear
• व्यक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative singular; विशेषणम् (असादृश्यम्/निर्वाणम् इत्यादि)

• निर्वाणम्: nirvāṇa; liberation
• निर्वाणम्: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — conjunction

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — indeclinable adverb ‘separately’

• पृथक्: each separately
• पृथक्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पुनरुक्ति) — repeated for emphasis

• शुभेतरस्य: of the non-good (evil)
• शुभेतरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ + इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — Genitive singular; कर्मधारय: ‘शुभः इतरः’ = non-good/evil; षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः (कर्तृत्वम् इत्यस्य)

• कर्तृत्वम्: agency; doership
• कर्तृत्वम्: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative singular; भाववाचक ‘-त्व’

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural; संख्याविशेषणम् (बुद्धिभवाः)

• बुद्धिभवाः: born of intellect
• बुद्धिभवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि + भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural; तत्पुरुष: ‘बुद्धेः भवाः’ (born of intellect)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विशेषार्थक) — particle ‘indeed/but’

• अमी: these (those)
• अमी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An inner landscape: a radiant buddhi-lotus opening; from it arises a singular, incomparable light (asādṛśya). Nirvāṇa is shown as a clear, empty sky beyond forms. Below, two balanced scales labeled śubha/itara indicate agency over dualities, while the yogin remains centered as witness.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Intellectual refinement can yield lofty states, yet true nirvāṇa is not mere power—freedom requires relinquishing doership.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on inner attainments associated with buddhi.