Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

ज्ञानप्रवादिनः सर्व ऋषयो वीतकल्मषाः । ज्ञानाभ्यासेन वर्त्तंते ज्ञानं ज्ञानविदो विदुः

Transliteration

jñānapravādinaḥ sarva ṛṣayo vītakalmaṣāḥ | jñānābhyāsena varttaṃte jñānaṃ jñānavido viduḥ

Translation

Tous les ṛṣi, hérauts de la sagesse et purifiés de toute souillure, vivent par la pratique de la connaissance ; et les connaisseurs de la connaissance discernent ce qu’est la connaissance véritable.

Word by Word

• ज्ञानप्रवादिनः: proclaimers of knowledge
• ज्ञानप्रवादिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (ज्ञानं प्रवदन्ति ये)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वीतकल्मषाः: free from impurity
• वीतकल्मषाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + कल्मष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (कल्मषं वीताः = free from sin/impurity)

• ज्ञानाभ्यासेन: by practice of knowledge
• ज्ञानाभ्यासेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ज्ञानस्य अभ्यासः)

• वर्तन्ते: conduct themselves/abide
• वर्तन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञानविदः: knowers of knowledge
• ज्ञानविदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक ‘विद्’ = knower)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (ज्ञानं विदन्ति ये)

• विदुः: know
• विदुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Śaṃkara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages, serene and radiant, engaged in recitation and contemplation; their purity is shown as luminous calm rather than ascetic harshness.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Jñāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True wisdom is sustained by continuous practice and inner purity, exemplified by the ṛṣis.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakhaṇḍa forms the setting; this verse highlights the jñāna-tradition rather than a location-specific phala.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external rite is specified; the prescription is jñānābhyāsa—steady cultivation of knowledge.