Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

निर्विकानि विकारैश्च बहुभिर्विकलीकृतः । अर्द्धागलग्ना सा देवी दृष्टा तेन शिवस्य च

Transliteration

nirvikāni vikāraiśca bahubhirvikalīkṛtaḥ | arddhāgalagnā sā devī dṛṣṭā tena śivasya ca

Translation

അവൻ നിർവികാരനായിട്ടും, അനേകം ഭാവവികാരങ്ങളാൽ വികലനായവനെന്നപോലെ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു; ശിവന്റെ അർദ്ധാംഗമായി ചേർന്ന ആ ദേവിയെയും അവൻ കണ്ടു।

Word by Word

• निर्विकानि: unchanging / without modification (reading uncertain)
• निर्विकानि: Sambandha (Unclear/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; विशेषण; (पाठार्थः संदिग्धः—सम्भाव्यं ‘निर्विकाराणि’)

• विकारैः: by transformations/changes
• विकारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; विशेषण

• विकलीकृतः: made impaired
• विकलीकृतः: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + कल् (धातु) + ई (प्रत्यय) + कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; ‘विकलीकृत’ = made deficient/maimed

• अर्द्धागलग्ना: joined to half (his) body
• अर्द्धागलग्ना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + लग्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘अर्द्धे अङ्गे लग्ना’ (attached to half the body)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• दृष्टा: seen
• दृष्टा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• शिवस्य: of Shiva
• शिवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The seer beholds Śiva who is essentially changeless yet appears with many expressive modes; alongside, the Goddess is seen as inseparably joined—half-attached—evoking Ardhanārīśvara theology without necessarily depicting a split body.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is changeless in essence, yet compassionately appears in manifold forms; Devī is inseparably united with him (Śiva-Śakti non-duality).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra region (Kedārakhaṇḍa) is the narrative frame, presenting Kedāra as a place where Śiva-Śakti unity is vividly realized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the focus is theological vision (darśana) of Ardhanārīśvara-like unity.