Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

ददाति केवलं भावं येन कैवल्यमाप्नुयुः । नराः सर्वे मम मतं नान्यता हि वचो मम

Transliteration

dadāti kevalaṃ bhāvaṃ yena kaivalyamāpnuyuḥ | narāḥ sarve mama mataṃ nānyatā hi vaco mama

Translation

Il accorde seulement ce bhāva, l’élan intérieur d’un cœur unifié, par lequel les hommes atteignent le Kaivalya (la délivrance dans l’unique solitude). Que tous adoptent mon avis : mes paroles n’ont pas d’autre sens.

Word by Word

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, 3rd person, Singular

• केवलम्: only, mere
• केवलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular (भावम् इत्यस्य विशेषण)

• भावम्: devotion/inner disposition
• भावम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular (येन = ‘by which’)

• कैवल्यम्: liberation (kaivalya)
• कैवल्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैवल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आप्नुयुः: may attain
• आप्नुयुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्/आप्नु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Optative, 3rd person, Plural

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural (नराः इत्यस्य विशेषण)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive, Singular

• मतम्: opinion/view
• मतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अन्यता: otherwise/otherness
• अन्यता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular (अस्ति इति अध्याहार)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• वचः: word/saying
• वचः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive, Singular

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha (context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A climactic doctrinal statement: the divine bestows a single, concentrated bhāva that carries beings to kaivalya; the speaker asserts exclusivity of meaning, emphasizing inner liberation over external boons.

Characters & Entities

• Kaivalya
• Bhāva
• Mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation is linked to a purified, singular inner bhāva; outer rites culminate in inner transformation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in Kedāra-khaṇḍa’s Kedāra-māhātmya context, emphasizing liberation-oriented devotion connected to Kedāra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the focus is on cultivating the liberating bhāva (inner spiritual orientation).