Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

जितेंद्रिया अलुब्धाश्च कामरागविवर्जिताः । याज्ञिका धर्मनिष्ठाश्च वेदवेदांगपारगाः

Transliteration

jiteṃdriyā alubdhāśca kāmarāgavivarjitāḥ | yājñikā dharmaniṣṭhāśca vedavedāṃgapāragāḥ

Translation

Maîtres de leurs sens, sans avidité, exempts de désir et d’attachement; ce sont des accomplisseurs de sacrifices, fermes dans le dharma, et experts des Veda et des Vedāṅga.

Word by Word

• जितेन्द्रियाः: sense-controlled
• जितेन्द्रियाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त; जि धातोः क्त) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: जित-इन्द्रिय (तत्पुरुष: 'whose senses are conquered'); 'जित' = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अलुब्धाः: not greedy
• अलुब्धाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलुब्ध (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• काम: desire
• काम: Visheshya (Head-term within compound/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• राग: attachment
• राग: Visheshya (Head-term within compound/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• विवर्जिताः: free from desire and attachment
• विवर्जिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: समासः: काम-राग-विवर्जित (द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद + कृदन्त); 'विवर्जित' = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) 'devoid of'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• याज्ञिकाः: sacrificers / ritualists
• याज्ञिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्ञिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• धर्मनिष्ठाः: firm in righteousness
• धर्मनिष्ठाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + निष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: धर्म-निष्ठ (तत्पुरुष: 'steadfast in dharma'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• वेद: Veda
• वेद: Visheshya (Head-term within compound/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• वेदाङ्ग: Vedic auxiliaries (Vedāṅgas)
• वेदाङ्ग: Visheshya (Head-term within compound/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: वेद-अङ्ग (तत्पुरुष: 'limbs of the Veda'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• पारगाः: well-versed in the Veda and Vedāṅgas
• पारगाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारग (प्रातिपदिक; पार + ग)
• Form: समासः: वेद-वेदाङ्ग-पारग (द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद + बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषण: 'having gone to the far shore of'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tableau of ideal sādhus/ṛtviks: calm faces, controlled senses, simple attire, holding ladles and Vedic manuscripts; the Himalayan shrine in the background suggests Kedāra as the setting for dharma-qualification.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Vedāṅga
• Dharma
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True religiosity combines inner mastery (sense-control, non-greed) with dharmic practice and scriptural competence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

In Kedāra-khaṇḍa, these virtues define worthy conduct in the Kedāra sacred domain.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña (sacrificial practice) and Vedic/Vedāṅga study are referenced as hallmarks of the dharma-minded.