Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

ममतां च निराकृत्य प्राप्तुकामाः परं पदम् । ज्ञानिनस्ते हि विद्वांसो वीतरागा जितेंद्रियाः

Transliteration

mamatāṃ ca nirākṛtya prāptukāmāḥ paraṃ padam | jñāninaste hi vidvāṃso vītarāgā jiteṃdriyāḥ

Translation

മമതയെ നീക്കി പരമപദം പ്രാപിക്കുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവരാണ് ജ്ഞാനികൾ; അവർ പണ്ഡിതർ, വിരക്തർ, ഇന്ദ്രിയജയികൾ.

Word by Word

• ममताम्: possessiveness
• ममताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ममता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• निराकृत्य: having rejected
• निराकृत्य: Purva-kala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निर्-आ-√कृ (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive): 'having removed/rejected'

• प्राप्तु-कामाः: desiring to attain
• प्राप्तु-कामाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्तु (तुमुन्; प्र-√आप् (धातु) + तुमुन्) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (प्राप्तुं कामाः = desiring to attain)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (पदम्)

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ज्ञानिनः: knowers (of truth)
• ज्ञानिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ते: those
• ते: Anuvada (Correlative subject/अनुवाद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपात

• विद्वांसः: wise men
• विद्वांसः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वीत-रागाः: free from attachment
• वीत-रागाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीत (कृदन्त; √वि-इ (धातु) + क्त, 'gone away') + राग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रागः वीतः येषाम्/रागं वीताः)

• जित-इन्द्रियाः: having conquered the senses
• जित-इन्द्रियाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त; √जि (धातु) + क्त) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इन्द्रियाणि जितानि येषाम्)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of ascetics approaching Kedāranātha: calm faces, minimal belongings, controlled senses; one offers a small donation, another performs japa—embodying the verse’s qualities as they seek the supreme abode.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The path to the supreme state is nirmamatā (non-possessiveness), vairāgya, and mastery over the senses.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra Khaṇḍa provides the pilgrimage frame, but this verse praises the inner qualities of seekers rather than a location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it prescribes ethical-spiritual discipline: renouncing possessiveness and controlling the senses.