Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

विना सदाशिवं योहि संसारं तर्तुमिच्छति । स मूढो हि महापापः शिवद्वेषी न संशयः

Transliteration

vinā sadāśivaṃ yohi saṃsāraṃ tartumicchati | sa mūḍho hi mahāpāpaḥ śivadveṣī na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Quiconque veut traverser l’océan du saṃsāra sans Sadāśiva est vraiment dans l’illusion : grand pécheur, et sans doute haineux envers Śiva.

Word by Word

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana/Exclusion (वियोग/अपादानार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: without)

• सदाशिवम्: Sadāśiva
• सदाशिवम्: Karma (Object governed by vinā/उपपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed)

• संसारम्: saṃsāra, worldly existence
• संसारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तर्तुम्: to cross over
• तर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), 'to cross'

• इच्छति: desires
• इच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

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

• मूढः: deluded, foolish
• मूढः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed)

• महापापः: greatly sinful
• महापापः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शिवद्वेषी: hater of Śiva
• शिवद्वेषी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + द्वेषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: no/not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Pratishedhya (Negated predicate/निषेध्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced; explicit speaker appears in v.20)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A person struggling in a dark ocean labeled saṃsāra, while a radiant Sadāśiva offers a boat/hand; in contrast, a shadowy figure turns away in pride, symbolizing delusion and śiva-dveṣa.

Characters & Entities

• Sadāśiva
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation from saṃsāra is inseparable from devotion to Sadāśiva; rejecting Śiva is portrayed as spiritual delusion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra region frames the discourse, but the verse focuses on the universal salvific role of Sadāśiva rather than a named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No particular ritual is stated; the prescription is reliance on and devotion to Sadāśiva.