Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 168

Devanagari script

निष्कामं वाक्यमाकर्ण्य किरातस्य तदा भवः । ददौ पार्षदमुख्यत्वं द्वारपालत्वमेव च

Transliteration

niṣkāmaṃ vākyamākarṇya kirātasya tadā bhavaḥ | dadau pārṣadamukhyatvaṃ dvārapālatvameva ca

Translation

Entendant les paroles désintéressées du Kirāta, Bhava lui accorda le rang de chef parmi ses serviteurs, ainsi que la charge de gardien de la porte.

Word by Word

• निष्कामम्: desireless, selfless
• निष्कामम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘वाक्यम्’ इति पदं विशेषयति

• वाक्यम्: speech, statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + √कर्ण्/√कृ (धातु; ‘श्रवणे’ अर्थे √कर्ण् इति परम्परापाठः)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘श्रुत्वा/आकर्ण्य’ = having heard

• किरातस्य: of the Kirāta (hunter)
• किरातस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• भवः: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक; शिवनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पार्षदमुख्यत्वम्: the status of chief attendant
• पार्षदमुख्यत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षद (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (पार्षदानां मुख्यः तस्य भावः = chief-attendant-hood)

• द्वारपालत्वम्: the status of door-keeper
• द्वारपालत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (द्वारस्य पालः तस्य भावः)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis: indeed/just)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (and)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhava (Śiva) acknowledges the Kirāta’s selfless speech and bestows honors: a gaṇa-chief insignia and the role of gatekeeper at the divine abode/temple threshold; attendants gather in reverent astonishment.

Characters & Entities

• Bhava (Śiva)
• Kirāta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Selfless devotion (niṣkāma-bhakti) draws Śiva’s grace and spiritual elevation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra, where Śiva’s grace is portrayed as immediately responsive to pure devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes a divine bestowal of office (pārṣada and dvārapāla) as fruit of devotion.