Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 190

Devanagari script

निर्मला निरहंकारा ये जनाः पर्युपासते । मृडं ज्ञानप्रदं चेशं परेशं शंभुमेव च

Transliteration

nirmalā nirahaṃkārā ye janāḥ paryupāsate | mṛḍaṃ jñānapradaṃ ceśaṃ pareśaṃ śaṃbhumeva ca

Translation

Ceux qui sont purs et sans orgueil, et qui vénèrent avec dévotion Mṛḍa—Śiva, dispensateur de la connaissance spirituelle—le Seigneur, le Seigneur suprême, Śambhu Lui-même.

Word by Word

• निर्मलाः: pure
• निर्मलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निरहंकाराः: free from ego
• निरहंकाराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + अहंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; निः-पूर्वक (without ego)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पर्युपासते: worship; attend upon
• पर्युपासते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + उप + आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मृडम्: Mṛḍa (Śiva)
• मृडम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञानप्रदम्: giver of knowledge
• ज्ञानप्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ज्ञानं प्रददाति इति/ज्ञानप्रदः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/coordination conjunction)

• ईशम्: the Lord
• ईशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परेशम्: Lord of all; Supreme Lord
• परेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पराणाम् ईशः)

• शम्भुम्: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; emphasis/only)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/coordination conjunction)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style; immediate speaker not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small group of simple, radiant devotees—unadorned and humble—offer water and bilva leaves to Śiva (Mṛḍa/Śambhu), while a subtle aura of knowledge-light emanates from the deity.

Characters & Entities

• Mṛḍa
• Īśa
• Pareśa
• Śambhu (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is approached most truly through inner purity and egolessness; such devotion leads to spiritual knowledge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kedāra in the Kedārakhaṇḍa (Kedāra-Māhātmya), though this verse specifically praises Śiva rather than naming a tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external rite is specified; the emphasis is on the inner discipline of purity and humility in worship.