Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

ददाति केवलं भावं येन कैवल्यमाप्नुयुः । नराः सर्वे मम मतं नान्यता हि वचो मम

Transliteration

dadāti kevalaṃ bhāvaṃ yena kaivalyamāpnuyuḥ | narāḥ sarve mama mataṃ nānyatā hi vaco mama

Translation

Ia menganugerahkan satu bhāva yang tunggal dan teguh, yang dengannya manusia mencapai Kaivalya (kebebasan yang sunyi). Hendaklah semua menerima pandanganku; tiada makna lain bagi ucapanku.

Word by Word

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, 3rd person, Singular

• केवलम्: only, mere
• केवलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular (भावम् इत्यस्य विशेषण)

• भावम्: devotion/inner disposition
• भावम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular (येन = ‘by which’)

• कैवल्यम्: liberation (kaivalya)
• कैवल्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैवल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आप्नुयुः: may attain
• आप्नुयुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्/आप्नु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Optative, 3rd person, Plural

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural (नराः इत्यस्य विशेषण)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive, Singular

• मतम्: opinion/view
• मतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अन्यता: otherwise/otherness
• अन्यता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular (अस्ति इति अध्याहार)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• वचः: word/saying
• वचः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive, Singular

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha (context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A climactic doctrinal statement: the divine bestows a single, concentrated bhāva that carries beings to kaivalya; the speaker asserts exclusivity of meaning, emphasizing inner liberation over external boons.

Characters & Entities

• Kaivalya
• Bhāva
• Mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation is linked to a purified, singular inner bhāva; outer rites culminate in inner transformation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in Kedāra-khaṇḍa’s Kedāra-māhātmya context, emphasizing liberation-oriented devotion connected to Kedāra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the focus is on cultivating the liberating bhāva (inner spiritual orientation).