Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

दृश्यादृश्यमजं चैव वैराजं सततोज्ज्वलम् । बहुलं सर्वजं धर्म्यं निर्विकल्पमनीश्वरम्

Transliteration

dṛśyādṛśyamajaṃ caiva vairājaṃ satatojjvalam | bahulaṃ sarvajaṃ dharmyaṃ nirvikalpamanīśvaram

Translation

അത് ദൃശ്യമും അദൃശ്യമും; അജം, വിരാട്‌സ്വരൂപം, നിത്യപ്രകാശമാനം. അത് വിശാലം, സർവ്വജനകം, ധർമ്മാധാരം—വികൽപരഹിതം, സാധാരണാർത്ഥത്തിലെ ‘ഈശ്വരത്വ’ത്തിന് അതീതം.

Word by Word

• दृश्यादृश्यम्: visible and invisible
• दृश्यादृश्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश्य (कृदन्त; √दृश् (धातु) + यत्, ‘visible’) + अदृश्य (कृदन्त; अ+दृश्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (neuter nom/acc sg; ‘visible and invisible’)

• अजम्: unborn
• अजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg; adjective)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (indeclinable; emphatic particle ‘indeed/just’)

• वैराजम्: radiant/royal, belonging to Virāj
• वैराजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg; adjective)

• सततोज्ज्वलम्: ever-luminous
• सततोज्ज्वलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (neuter nom/acc sg; adjective)

• बहुलम्: abundant, manifold
• बहुलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg; adjective)

• सर्वजम्: all-producing / born of all
• सर्वजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (कृदन्त; √जन् (धातु) + ड, ‘born/produced’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (neuter nom/acc sg; adjective)

• धर्म्यम्: righteous, pertaining to dharma
• धर्म्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म्य (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म+यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg; adjective)

• निर्विकल्पम्: free from conceptual alternatives
• निर्विकल्पम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग) + विकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg; adjective)

• अनीश्वरम्: without a lord/master; non-sovereign
• अनीश्वरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (निषेध) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg; adjective)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Aniconic radiance: a vast, ever-shining presence that is both manifest and unmanifest, with pilgrims and sages perceiving it as a luminous field rather than a fixed deity-form.

Characters & Entities

• Virāj
• Dharma
• Nirvikalpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme transcends all dualities (seen/unseen) and conceptualization, yet is the cosmic source and the very foundation of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is explicitly referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it supplies a doctrinal portrait to support inner realization.