Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

शब्दस्पर्शरसैर्हीनं गंधरूपविवर्जितम् । परं पुरुषं संप्राप्तः समाधिस्थः प्रकीर्तितः

Transliteration

śabdasparśarasairhīnaṃ gaṃdharūpavivarjitam | paraṃ puruṣaṃ saṃprāptaḥ samādhisthaḥ prakīrtitaḥ

Translation

Devoid of sound, touch, and taste—free from smell and form—one who has reached the Supreme Person is proclaimed to be established in samādhi.

Word by Word

• śabda-sparśa-rasaiḥ: by sounds, touches, and tastes
• śabda-sparśa-rasaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक) + rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Bahuvacana; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/इतर-द्वन्द्व (contextual) — 'by/with sounds, touches, tastes'

• hīnam: devoid (of)
• hīnam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; विशेषण — 'devoid of'

• gandha-rūpa-vivarjitam: devoid of smell and form
• gandha-rūpa-vivarjitam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + vivarjita (कृदन्त; √vṛj/varj (धातु) + vi- उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण — 'deprived of smell and form'

• param: supreme
• param: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; विशेषण

• puruṣam: Person (Supreme Being)
• puruṣam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana

• saṃprāptaḥ: having attained
• saṃprāptaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃprāpta (कृदन्त; √āp (धातु) + sam- उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त — 'having attained'

• samādhi-sthaḥ: abiding in samādhi
• samādhi-sthaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samādhi (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (कृदन्त; √sthā (धातु), क्त/निष्ठा-भाव)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; 'situated in samādhi'

• prakīrtitaḥ: is proclaimed
• prakīrtitaḥ: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prakīrtita (कृदन्त; √kīrt (धातु) + pra- उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (passive sense) — 'is proclaimed/said' (elliptic copula)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A yogin seated in deep samādhi, senses dissolved: the five sense-objects symbolically fading—sound-waves, touch, tastes, fragrances, and forms dissolving into a luminous inner void; above, a subtle radiance signifying Parama Puruṣa.

Characters & Entities

• Paraṃ Puruṣa (Supreme Person)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Samādhi is marked by transcendence of sensory cognition and direct attainment of the Supreme Reality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named; the verse is about inner realization.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit discipline of pratyāhāra-like withdrawal: freedom from sense-objects culminating in samādhi.