Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 49
धूमात्परमयोवह्निर्धूमवत्प्रतिभासते । प्रकृत्यंतर्गस्त्वं हि लक्ष्यसे ज्ञानिसंभवः । प्रकृत्यंतर्गतस्त्वं हि मायाव्यक्तिरितीयसे
dhūmātparamayovahnirdhūmavatpratibhāsate | prakṛtyaṃtargastvaṃ hi lakṣyase jñānisaṃbhavaḥ | prakṛtyaṃtargatastvaṃ hi māyāvyaktiritīyase
Seperti api, walau melampaui asap, dapat tampak seolah-olah berasap; demikianlah Engkau—walau mengatasi Prakṛti—tetap dipersepsi seakan berada di dalamnya, apabila pengetahuan bangkit dalam diri orang bijaksana. Namun apabila dilihat berada dalam Prakṛti, Engkau disebut sebagai kuasa Māyā yang menzahirkan diri.
Gaṇeśa
Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Maheśa (Śiva)
Scene: A symbolic tableau: a bright flame stands clear beyond a veil of smoke; beside it, Śiva is shown as luminous consciousness while prakṛti appears as a translucent, smoky sheath; sages ‘see’ through it.
FAQs
The Supreme can seem immanent within nature due to Māyā, yet remains transcendent—like fire that appears smoky without being smoke.
Kedāra-kṣetra is the textual setting; this verse focuses on metaphysics rather than a specific bathing-place or shrine.
None; the verse is doctrinal, using metaphor to clarify transcendence and manifestation.