Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

प्रसंगेनानुपंक्षेण श्रद्वया च यदृच्छया । शिवभक्तिं प्रकुर्वन्ति ये वै ते यांति सद्गतिम्

Transliteration

prasaṃgenānupaṃkṣeṇa śradvayā ca yadṛcchayā | śivabhaktiṃ prakurvanti ye vai te yāṃti sadgatim

Translation

Que ce soit par fréquentation, par une mince occasion, par la foi, ou même par hasard : ceux qui s’adonnent vraiment à la dévotion envers Śiva atteignent la bonne et sainte demeure.

Word by Word

• प्रसङ्गेन: by occasion / incidentally
• प्रसङ्गेन: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• अनुपङ्क्षेण: without effort / casually (lit. without side/without accompaniment)
• अनुपङ्क्षेण: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुपङ्क्ष (प्रातिपदिक; rare)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (contextual); तृतीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Instrumental singular); दुर्लभ-शब्दः

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• यदृच्छया: by chance
• यदृच्छया: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदृच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Instrumental singular); अव्ययीभावार्थे 'by chance'

• शिव-भक्तिम्: devotion to Śiva
• शिव-भक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Accusative singular); तत्पुरुषसमासः (शिवस्य भक्तिः)

• प्रकुर्वन्ति: they perform/do
• प्रकुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उपसर्ग + √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन (3rd person plural); परस्मैपदम्

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति बहुवचन (Nominative plural); सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपातः (indeed)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति बहुवचन (Nominative plural); correlative pronoun

• यान्ति: go/attain
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन (3rd person plural); परस्मैपदम्

• सत्-गतिम्: good state/destination
• सत्-गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Accusative singular); कर्मधारयसमासः (सत् एव गतिः)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedārakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A chance encounter at a Śiva shrine: travelers, a shepherd, and a passerby spontaneously bow; a subtle light indicates sadgati opening through simple devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śiva-bhakti
• Sadgati

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-bhakti is so meritorious that even a small, incidental beginning—supported by faith or good company—can lead to a blessed spiritual end.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakhaṇḍa’s devotional framework is the setting; the verse supports Kedāra pilgrimage spirituality by emphasizing the fruit of Śiva-bhakti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No fixed ritual is mandated; it broadly recommends cultivating Śiva-bhakti through association (satsaṅga) and faith.