Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

एको महाञ्ज्योतिरजः परेशः परापराणां परमो महात्मा । निरंतरो निर्विकारो निरीशो निराबाधो निर्विकल्पो निरीहः

Transliteration

eko mahāñjyotirajaḥ pareśaḥ parāparāṇāṃ paramo mahātmā | niraṃtaro nirvikāro nirīśo nirābādho nirvikalpo nirīhaḥ

Translation

അവൻ ഒരുവനേ—മഹത്തായ തേജോമയ ജ്യോതി, രജസ്സുരഹിത പരമേശ്വരൻ; പരാപരമായ എല്ലാറ്റിന്റെയും പരമാത്മാവ്. അവൻ നിരന്തരം സന്നിഹിതൻ, നിർവികാരൻ, ആശ്രയരഹിതൻ, നിരാബാധൻ, നിർവികൽപ്പൻ, നിരീഹൻ।

Word by Word

• एकः: one, single
• एकः: Predicate/Qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (महात्मा/परेशः)

• महान्: great
• महान्: Predicate/Qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ज्योतिः-रजः: light and dust (radiance and matter)
• ज्योतिः-रजः: Apposition (विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक) + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (ज्योतिः च रजः च)

• परेशः: the supreme Lord
• परेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पर-अपराणाम्: of the higher and the lower (beings/things)
• पर-अपराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वः (पराणां च अपराणां च)

• परमः: supreme
• परमः: Predicate/Qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (महात्मा/परेशः)

• महात्मा: great-souled one
• महात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निरन्तरः: uninterrupted, continuous
• निरन्तरः: Predicate/Qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• निर्विकारः: unchanging
• निर्विकारः: Predicate/Qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• निरीशः: independent, without a ruler over him
• निरीशः: Predicate/Qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरीश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अनीश/अनधीन-भाव)

• निराबाधः: unobstructed, untroubled
• निराबाधः: Predicate/Qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराबाध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• निर्विकल्पः: free from alternatives/differentiation
• निर्विकल्पः: Predicate/Qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• निरीहः: without desire/effort
• निरीहः: Predicate/Qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरीह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An abstract yet traditional depiction: a radiant column of light (jyoti-stambha) emerging from a Kedāra shrine, dissolving mountains into luminous stillness; Śiva not anthropomorphic but as boundless brilliance.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied as Supreme)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The ultimate reality (Śiva) is one, unborn, and changeless—remembering this leads the mind toward liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is doctrinal within the Kedāra setting, grounding the tirtha’s greatness in the nature of Śiva Himself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is given; it is a contemplative teaching suited for dhyāna on Śiva’s supreme attributes.