Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

वामदेवो महायोगी दत्त्वा तस्मै परां गतिम् । चचार लोके मूढात्मा साक्षादिव शिवः स्वयम्

Transliteration

vāmadevo mahāyogī dattvā tasmai parāṃ gatim | cacāra loke mūḍhātmā sākṣādiva śivaḥ svayam

Translation

മഹായോഗിയായ വാമദേവൻ അവനു പരമഗതി ദാനം ചെയ്ത്, മൂഢാത്മാവെന്നപോലെ തോന്നിയാലും, സാക്ഷാൽ ശിവൻ തന്നെയെന്നപോലെ ലോകത്തിൽ സഞ്ചരിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• वामदेवः: Vāmadeva
• वामदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महायोगी: the great yogin
• महायोगी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—महान् + योगी (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (पूर्वकर्म/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having given’

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्यतः), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘गतिम्’ विशेषण

• गतिम्: state/goal, liberation
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• चचार: wandered/moved about
• चचार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मूढात्मा: one of deluded mind
• मूढात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—मूढः आत्मा (कर्मधारय)

• साक्षात्: directly, manifestly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-निपात (comparative particle)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Visheshana (Emphasis/विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक (reflexive emphatic)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator, contextually continuing the discourse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vāmadeva, a radiant mahāyogin, bestows ‘parā gati’ through a gesture of blessing; afterward he wanders as an unassuming ascetic, while a subtle aura of Śiva (matted hair, crescent-moon glow, trident-shadow) surrounds him.

Characters & Entities

• Vāmadeva
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A realized master may appear ordinary, yet can bestow the highest liberation by Śiva’s grace and yogic power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the emphasis is on Śaiva realization and bestowal of the supreme state.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; it supports the surrounding Bhasma–Tripuṇḍra glorification by highlighting Śiva-like sanctity.