Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

यच्छृणोपि यदश्रासि यच्च पश्यसि शंकर । वाग्वादेन च किं कार्यमस्माके चाधुना प्रभो

Transliteration

yacchṛṇopi yadaśrāsi yacca paśyasi śaṃkara | vāgvādena ca kiṃ kāryamasmāke cādhunā prabho

Translation

「汝が聞くもの、汝が（他に）聞かせるもの、そして汝が見るもの、シャンカラよ——今や我らに、言葉の論争が何の要ろうか、主よ。」

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular; सम्बन्ध-प्रश्न (relative)

• शृणोषि: you hear
• शृणोषि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक (also/even)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• अश्रासि: you heard
• अश्रासि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; पाठे 'अश्रासि' = 'अश्रौषीः/अश्रौषम्' इत्यादि-रूपभेदः सम्भवः, अर्थतः 'you heard'

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• पश्यसि: you see
• पश्यसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शंकर: O Śaṅkara
• शंकर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन — Vocative singular

• वाग्वादेन: by verbal debate
• वाग्वादेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् + वाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वाक्-वादः = speech-argument)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• कार्यम्: need/purpose
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Nominative/Accusative singular; 'किं कार्यम्' = 'what need?'

• अस्माके: of us/for us
• अस्माके: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन — Genitive plural (Vedic/epic form for अस्माकम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन — Vocative singular

Speaker

Pārvatī (contextually continuing her address to Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet pause in the divine dialogue: Pārvatī gestures toward the immediacy of hearing and seeing, suggesting that debate is unnecessary; the Himalaya stands as a vast witness.

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī
• Śaṅkara
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual truth is not won by argument alone; it calls for direct discernment and lived realization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra milieu is implicit via Kedārakhaṇḍa; the verse emphasizes inner practice over debate.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external ritual; it recommends avoiding idle disputation (vāgvāda) in favor of meaningful practice.