Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

उपदेशैश्च बहुभिर्नोपदेश्याः कदाचन । ते रागद्वेषसंघाताः सर्वे शिवपराङ्मुखाः

Transliteration

upadeśaiśca bahubhirnopadeśyāḥ kadācana | te rāgadveṣasaṃghātāḥ sarve śivaparāṅmukhāḥ

Translation

അനവധി ഉപദേശങ്ങൾ നൽകിയിട്ടും അവർ ഒരിക്കലും ഉപദേശം ഗ്രഹിച്ചില്ല; കാരണം അവർ രാഗദ്വേഷങ്ങളുടെ കൂമ്പാരം, എല്ലാവരും ശിവനോട് വിമുഖരായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• उपदेशैः: by instructions/teachings
• उपदेशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

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

• बहुभिः: many
• बहुभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (agreeing with उपदेशैः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• उपदेश्याः: (they) are not to be instructed
• उपदेश्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-√दिश् (धातु) + य (कृत्) → उपदेश्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भविष्यत्कर्मणि-कर्तव्यता (gerundive/तव्यत्-अर्थ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘to be instructed/should be instructed’

• कदाचन: ever/at any time
• कदाचन: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Pronoun nominative plural

• रागद्वेषसंघाताः: aggregates of attachment and aversion
• रागद्वेषसंघाताः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राग (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वेष (प्रातिपदिक) + संघात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राग-द्वेषयोः संघाताः)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Adjective agreeing with ते

• शिवपराङ्मुखाः: turned away from Śiva
• शिवपराङ्मुखाः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पराङ्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शिवात् पराङ्मुखाः = turned away from Śiva)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) narrating (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (ṛṣi/śaunaka-style setting typical of Purāṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacherly figure offers repeated counsel, while a group with restless faces—pulled by attraction and repulsion—turn away from a serene Śiva presence in the background, symbolizing śivaparāṅmukhatā.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Teachings bear fruit only in a receptive mind; raga-dveṣa blocks grace and turns one away from Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific holy site is named; the Shaiva devotional orientation is emphasized within Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; the verse implies inner purification from raga-dveṣa and turning toward Śiva.