Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

मया किं क्रियतां देव कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ । ये सत्यशीलाः शांताश्च वदान्या निरवग्रहाः

Transliteration

mayā kiṃ kriyatāṃ deva kāryākāryavyavasthitau | ye satyaśīlāḥ śāṃtāśca vadānyā niravagrahāḥ

Translation

Ô Deva, que dois-je faire pour décider de ce qui doit être fait et de ce qui ne doit pas l’être ? Car il est des êtres voués à la vérité, paisibles, généreux, sans entrave ni querelle.

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावे प्रयोगः (used adverbially: 'what?')

• क्रियताम्: let (it) be done
• क्रियताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive): 'let it be done'

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• कार्य: what should be done
• कार्य: Visheshya (Head-term within compound/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः कृत्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (member of compound)

• अकार्य: what should not be done
• अकार्य: Visheshya (Head-term within compound/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार्य (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (member of compound)

• व्यवस्थितौ: in (matters) of what is to be done and not to be done, being settled/decided
• व्यवस्थितौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त; वि+अव+स्था धातोः क्त)
• Form: समासः: कार्य-अकार्य-व्यवस्थितौ (द्वन्द्व/itaretara-dvandva as a compound base); 'व्यवस्थित' = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), द्विवचन

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

• सत्यशीलाः: truthful-natured
• सत्यशीलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य + शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: सत्य-शील (कर्मधारय: 'truthful in conduct'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शान्ताः: peaceful
• शान्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक; शम् धातोः क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वदान्याः: generous
• वदान्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वदान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• निरवग्रहाः: unobstructed / unrestrained
• निरवग्रहाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + अवग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: निर्-अवग्रह (तत्पुरुष; 'without obstruction/without restraint'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A supplicant (often read as Yama or a devotee) stands with folded hands before Śiva in a Himalayan tīrtha, asking how to decide duty and non-duty; around them are serene, truth-abiding sages embodying śama and dāna.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (address)
• Dharma
• Satya
• Śānti
• Dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires discernment; virtues like truth, peace, and generosity guide right action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ethical counsel appears within Kedāra-khaṇḍa, aligning pilgrim conduct with Kedāra’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; it emphasizes moral qualifications—satya, śānti, and vadānyatā.