Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

ज्ञानदृष्ट्या विलोक्याथ दूष्णींभूतोऽभवत्तदा । कृत्रिमौ हि च तौ ज्ञात्वा प्रविष्टो हि महामनाः

Transliteration

jñānadṛṣṭyā vilokyātha dūṣṇīṃbhūto'bhavattadā | kṛtrimau hi ca tau jñātvā praviṣṭo hi mahāmanāḥ

Translation

Alors, les contemplant avec l’œil de la connaissance, il demeura silencieux ; comprenant que ces deux-là n’étaient qu’artifices, le magnanime entra.

Word by Word

• ज्ञानदृष्ट्या: by the eye of knowledge, with insight
• ज्ञानदृष्ट्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: 'ज्ञानरूपा दृष्टिः'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• विलोक्य: having observed
• विलोक्य: Pūrvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लोक् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त/क्त्वार्थक अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having looked'

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक/आरम्भार्थक निपात (then/now)

• दूष्णींभूतः: became silent
• दूष्णींभूतः: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दूष्णीम् (अव्यय) + भू (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः: 'दूष्णीम् भूत्वा' → 'दूष्णींभूतः'; भूतकाले कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal modifier/कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• कृत्रिमौ: artificial (two)
• कृत्रिमौ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्रिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विशेषण

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/हेतुवाचक निपात

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• तौ: those two (them)
• तौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having recognized
• ज्ञात्वा: Pūrvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having known/recognized'

• प्रविष्टः: entered
• प्रविष्टः: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकाले कृदन्तः (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे 'entered'

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात

• महामनाः: great-minded
• महामनाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः: 'महान् मनाः यस्य' (great-minded); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deductive)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (inner access to Śiva)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada’s expression settles into calm; a subtle aura around his eyes suggests ‘jñāna-dṛṣṭi’. He recognizes the gatekeepers as crafted figures and quietly steps past them into the sanctum path.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual insight (jñāna-dṛṣṭi) dispels confusion; discernment enables progress toward Śiva’s darśana.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra kṣetra, where even the threshold is marked by wondrous, divinely-crafted features.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it emphasizes inner qualification—clarity and insight.