Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

तं वेद्मि परमात्मानं किमस्मा दधिकं वरम् । योगिनो यं न पश्यन्ति यं न पश्यंति कर्मठाः

Transliteration

taṃ vedmi paramātmānaṃ kimasmā dadhikaṃ varam | yogino yaṃ na paśyanti yaṃ na paśyaṃti karmaṭhāḥ

Translation

അവനെ ഞാൻ പരമാത്മാവായി അറിയുന്നു—ഇതിലധികം വലിയ വരം എന്തുണ്ട്? യോഗികളും ദർശിക്കാത്തവനെ, കർമ്മകാണ്ഡത്തിൽ മാത്രം നിരതരും കാണുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वेद्मि: I know
• वेद्मि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• परमात्मानम्: the Supreme Self
• परमात्मानम्: Karman (Object apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; परम+आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (परमः आत्मा)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karman (Interrogative object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (what?)

• अस्मात्: than me
• अस्मात्: Apadana (Standard of comparison/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलना-प्रयोगः (than me/than this)

• अधिकम्: greater
• अधिकम्: Karman (Predicate nominal/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (greater)

• वरम्: boon; better (thing)
• वरम्: Karman (Predicate nominal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाक्ये (boon/best thing)

• योगिनः: yogins
• योगिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रयोगः (whom)

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

• पश्यन्ति: see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• पश्यन्ति: see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कर्मठाः: ritualists; men of action
• कर्मठाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि आसक्ताः (ritualists/men of works)

Speaker

Gālava (to Nārāyaṇa/Hari)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gālava, calm and luminous, declares knowledge of the Paramātman; in the background, yogins in meditation and ritualists tending fires appear unable to ‘see’, while the Lord stands revealed to the devotee.

Characters & Entities

• Paramātman
• Yogins
• Karmaṭhas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest gift is realization of the Supreme Self; mere technique (yoga) or formalism (ritualism) without true insight may not yield divine vision.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The realization is narrated within Setu Māhātmya, linking spiritual knowledge with the sanctity of Setubandha/Rāmeśvaram.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse contrasts mere karma-kāṇḍa attachment with higher realization and grace.