Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

अरूपाय च सूक्ष्माय सूक्ष्मसूक्ष्माय वै नमः । श्मशानवासिने तुभ्यं नमस्ते कृत्तिवाससे

Transliteration

arūpāya ca sūkṣmāya sūkṣmasūkṣmāya vai namaḥ | śmaśānavāsine tubhyaṃ namaste kṛttivāsase

Translation

Salutations, en vérité, à l’Informe, au Subtil, au plus subtil du subtil. Salutations à Toi qui demeures au champ de crémation; salutations à Toi, ô Porteur de la peau (Kṛttivāsa).

Word by Word

• अरूपाय: to the formless one
• अरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरूप (प्रातिपदिक) = अ + रूप
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समास (formless)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सूक्ष्माय: to the subtle one
• सूक्ष्माय: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सूक्ष्मसूक्ष्माय: to the exceedingly subtle one
• सूक्ष्मसूक्ष्माय: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्ष्मसूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक) = सूक्ष्म + सूक्ष्म
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-समास (very subtle)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma (Object of saluting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपातवत् प्रयोगः (salutation)

• श्मशानवासिने: to the dweller in the cremation-ground
• श्मशानवासिने: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशानवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक) = श्मशान + वासिन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; -इन्-प्रत्ययान्त (dweller)

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma (Object of saluting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपातवत् प्रयोगः (salutation)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (enclitic)

• कृत्तिवाससे: to the wearer of a skin-garment
• कृत्तिवाससे: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्तिवासस् (प्रातिपदिक) = कृत्ति + वासस्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वासस् = 'garment', कृत्ति = 'skin'

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (interpreted through universal Śaiva symbols)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva as the formless subtle presence suggested by a luminous void, yet depicted iconographically as Kṛttivāsa—wearing a hide—standing in a cremation-ground with ash, skull motifs, and a tranquil gaze that transforms fear into liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Kṛttivāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s cremation-ground symbolism teaches detachment and the conquest of fear of death, pointing the seeker to the formless reality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Kedāra-oriented praise, even when it uses pan-Śaiva imagery like śmaśāna.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription; the shloka is devotional praise and contemplative remembrance.