Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

महेशं परमारथज्ञाश्चिंतयंति हृदि स्थितम् । यत्र जीवो भवत्येव शिवस्तत्रैव तिष्ठति

Transliteration

maheśaṃ paramārathajñāściṃtayaṃti hṛdi sthitam | yatra jīvo bhavatyeva śivastatraiva tiṣṭhati

Translation

Ceux qui connaissent la Vérité suprême contemplent Maheśa, demeurant au cœur. Là où se trouve l’être vivant, là même Śiva réside aussi.

Word by Word

• महेशम्: Maheśa (Śiva)
• महेशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• परमारथज्ञाः: knowers of the highest truth
• परमारथज्ञाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभाव: परमः अर्थः यस्य/येषां ज्ञाः = knowers of the highest meaning); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• चिन्तयन्ति: they contemplate
• चिन्तयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन (locative singular)

• स्थितम्: situated; abiding
• स्थितम्: Karman (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; महेशम् इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषणम्

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Sambandha (Relative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• जीवः: the individual soul
• जीवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवति: is; becomes
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: there)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• तिष्ठति: stands; abides
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the Ṛṣis

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (inner Kedāra teaching)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: seekers described as paramārtha-jñāḥ; general audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A yogin seated in meditation near Kedāra, eyes half-closed, with a subtle Śiva-liṅga or Śiva-form glowing within the heart-lotus; the outer Himalaya mirrors the inner stillness.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa
• Śiva
• Jīva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is not only worshipped externally; the wise recognize Him as indwelling in the heart, present wherever the jīva exists.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedārakhaṇḍa frames the teaching within Kedāra’s Śaiva sacred landscape, though the verse emphasizes inner pilgrimage (antar-yātrā).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A contemplative practice is indicated: meditation (cintana) on Maheśa seated in the heart.