Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव तीर्थानि विविधानि च । यस्य नाम्ना पवित्राणि सोयं शप्तोऽधुना कथम्

Transliteration

yajño dānaṃ tapaścaiva tīrthāni vividhāni ca | yasya nāmnā pavitrāṇi soyaṃ śapto'dhunā katham

Translation

「祭祀、布施、苦行、そしてさまざまなティールタ（聖なる渡し場）—それらは御名によって清められる。しかるに、どうして今、御方が呪われ得ようか。」

Word by Word

• यज्ञः: sacrifice
• यज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समुच्चित पद

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• विविधानि: various
• विविधानि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (तीर्थानि)

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

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• नाम्ना: by (his) name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण

• पवित्राणि: purifying, sacred
• पवित्राणि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (यज्ञ/दान/तप/तीर्थाणि इत्यादि)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शप्तः: cursed
• शप्तः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-विशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (cursed)

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb)

Speaker

Nandī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dakṣa and the yajña assembly

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandī lists yajña, dāna, tapas, and tīrthas, declaring that all become pure by Śiva’s Name, and questions the possibility of a curse against such a Lord.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied by 'His Name')
• Yajña
• Dāna
• Tapaḥ
• Tīrthas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine Name is portrayed as a purifier of all meritorious acts and sacred places; spiritual purity flows from God, not from human pride.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Tīrthas are referenced generically; the broader canvas is Kedārakhaṇḍa’s praise of Śaiva sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct injunction, but it elevates nāma-smaraṇa (remembering/uttering the divine Name) as spiritually purifying.