Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

मायाविरहितं शांतं द्वैताद्वैतपरं सदा । ज्ञप्तिमात्रस्वरूपं तत्सदानंदैकलक्षणम्

Transliteration

māyāvirahitaṃ śāṃtaṃ dvaitādvaitaparaṃ sadā | jñaptimātrasvarūpaṃ tatsadānaṃdaikalakṣaṇam

Translation

ആ തത്ത്വം മായാരഹിതം, ശാന്തം, എന്നും ദ്വൈത-അദ്വൈതങ്ങളെ അതിക്രമിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. അതിന്റെ സ്വരൂപം ശുദ്ധ ചൈതന്യമാത്രം; അതിന്റെ ഏക ലക്ഷണം നിത്യാനന്ദം.

Word by Word

• माया: illusion, māyā
• माया: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासपूर्वपद (समासाङ्ग), अर्थतः ‘मायायाः’

• विरहितम्: devoid of māyā
• विरहितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: माया-विरहित (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• शान्तम्: peaceful
• शान्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• द्वैत: duality
• द्वैत: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वैत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासपूर्वपद (समासाङ्ग), अर्थतः ‘द्वैतस्य’

• अद्वैत: non-duality
• अद्वैत: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्वैत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासपूर्वपद (समासाङ्ग), अर्थतः ‘अद्वैतस्य’

• परम्: beyond duality and non-duality
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: द्वैत-अद्वैत-पर (द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद + तत्पुरुषार्थ: ‘द्वैताद्वैतयोः परम्’)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• ज्ञप्ति: awareness, cognition
• ज्ञप्ति: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासपूर्वपद (समासाङ्ग), अर्थतः ‘ज्ञप्तेः’

• मात्र: mere, only
• मात्र: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासमध्यपद (समासाङ्ग), अर्थतः ‘केवल’

• स्वरूपम्: essential nature
• स्वरूपम्: Visheshya (Qualified noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: ज्ञप्ति-मात्र-स्वरूप (तत्पुरुष)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Anaphora (Referent/निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• आनन्द: bliss
• आनन्द: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासपूर्वपद (समासाङ्ग), अर्थतः ‘आनन्दस्य’

• एक: single, one
• एक: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासमध्यपद (समासाङ्ग), अर्थतः ‘एकम्/एकस्य’ (समासाङ्गत्वात्)

• लक्षणम्: having the mark of sole eternal bliss
• लक्षणम्: Visheshana (Predicate qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: सदा-आनन्द-एक-लक्षण (तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Maheśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene, formless-centered vision: a tranquil radiance signifying consciousness-only, with māyā’s veils dissolving; Himalayan Kedāra peaks faintly frame the still center.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Māyā
• Dvaita
• Advaita
• Jñapti (consciousness)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest truth is pure, peaceful consciousness—beyond conceptual opposites—known as eternal bliss.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named here; Kedārakhaṇḍa’s sanctity is enhanced by presenting Kedāra as a locus of liberating knowledge.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it points to contemplative realization (jñāna) rather than external ritual.