Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 190

Devanagari script

वचस्युपरते प्राप्यो य एको मनसा सह । अनामरूपचिन्मात्रः सोऽव्यान्नः सदसत्परः

Transliteration

vacasyuparate prāpyo ya eko manasā saha | anāmarūpacinmātraḥ so'vyānnaḥ sadasatparaḥ

Translation

വാക്ക് നിശ്ശബ്ദമാകുമ്പോൾ, അന്തർമുഖമായ മനസ്സോടുകൂടെ ആ ഏകനെ മാത്രമേ പ്രാപിക്കാനാകൂ—നാമരൂപാതീതമായ ശുദ്ധ ചൈതന്യമാത്രൻ. സത്-അസത് ഇരുവർക്കും അതീതനായ ആ അവ്യയ പരൻ ഞങ്ങളെ കാത്തരുളട്ടെ।

Word by Word

• वचसि: in speech
• वचसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपरते: when (speech) has ceased
• उपरते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + रम् (धातु) → उपरत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute sense: 'when ... has ceased')

• प्राप्यः: to be attained
• प्राप्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) → प्राप्य (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्यय, gerundive/भाव्य), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• एकः: one, single
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahartha (Accompaniment/सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-प्रयोगे अव्यय (preposition/adverb: 'together with')

• अनामरूपचिन्मात्रः: (he who is) pure consciousness alone, without name and form
• अनामरूपचिन्मात्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + नाम + रूप + चित् + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'only consciousness, without name and form'), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• अव्यात्: may (he) protect
• अव्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; आशीर्लिङ्गार्थे (may he protect)

• नः: us / our
• नः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), द्वितीया/षष्ठी-बहुवचनरूप (Accusative/Genitive plural clitic)

• सदसत्परः: beyond the real and the unreal
• सदसत्परः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् + असत् + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'beyond being and non-being'), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

Speaker

Aitareya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mauna-tīrtha (silence as pilgrimage culmination)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A near-abstract tableau: the sage in profound silence; the deity represented as a boundless, luminous void beyond form; the words themselves seem to dissolve into stillness, ending with a protective benediction.

Characters & Entities

• Brahman/Paramātman (as Vāsudeva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest reality is approached in silence and inwardness, beyond conceptual labels—yet remains the protector of devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is identified; this is contemplative theology within a hymn.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied practice: mauna (sacred silence) and meditative inward turning of mind.