Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

यद्येवं सुविरक्तिः स्यात्संसारोपरि संस्थिता । समाराधय देवेशं शंकरं शशिशेखरम्

Transliteration

yadyevaṃ suviraktiḥ syātsaṃsāropari saṃsthitā | samārādhaya deveśaṃ śaṃkaraṃ śaśiśekharam

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ദൃഢമായ വൈരാഗ്യം ഉദിച്ച് ലോകബന്ധങ്ങളുടെ മീതെ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നുവെങ്കിൽ, ദേവേശനായ ചന്ദ്രശേഖരൻ ശങ്കരനെ പൂർണ്ണഭക്തിയോടെ ആരാധിക്ക.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तबोधक (conditional particle)

• एवं: thus, in this way
• एवं: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• सुविरक्तिः: strong dispassion
• सुविरक्तिः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + विरक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्यात्: may be, would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• संसारोपरि: beyond the world-cycle
• संसारोपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययत्व; अर्थः 'संसारस्य उपरि' (above/beyond saṃsāra)

• संस्थिता: situated, established
• संस्थिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग) + स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (सुविरक्तिः इति)

• समाराधय: worship, propitiate
• समाराधय: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आराध् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवेशम्: Lord of gods
• देवेशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् ईशः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; देवेशम् इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• शशिशेखरम्: moon-crested (Śiva)
• शशिशेखरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशि + शेखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शशिनः शेखरः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Unknown ascetic/teacher (issuing the core instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A renunciate-like devotee, calm and detached, stands before a moon-crested Śiva-liṅga or Śaṅkara form, hands in añjali, offering simple worship; the crescent moon and matted locks are prominent.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara
• Śaśiśekhara
• Deveśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vairāgya should culminate in devotion and worship: propitiating Śiva (Śaṅkara) is presented as the effective, dharmic path forward.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse praises Śiva rather than naming a particular site; within Tīrthamāhātmya chapters, such instruction typically supports tīrtha-based Śiva worship in the surrounding passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samārādhana (devotional worship/propitiation) of Śiva—implying pūjā, japa, and disciplined observance aligned with detachment.