Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

यदीश्वरो हृदि मध्ये विभाव्यो मनीषिभिः सर्वदा ज्ञप्तिमात्रः । तदा सर्वैर्मुनिवृत्त्या विभाव्यस्तपस्विभिर्नान्यथा चिंतनीयः

Transliteration

yadīśvaro hṛdi madhye vibhāvyo manīṣibhiḥ sarvadā jñaptimātraḥ | tadā sarvairmunivṛttyā vibhāvyastapasvibhirnānyathā ciṃtanīyaḥ

Translation

Jika Tuhan hendaklah sentiasa direnungi oleh para bijaksana di pusat hati sebagai Kesedaran murni semata-mata, maka para pertapa hendaklah merenungi-Nya dengan sikap batin para muni, dan jangan memikirkan-Nya dengan cara yang lain.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle: if)

• ईश्वरः: the Lord
• ईश्वरः: Karma (Object of vibhāvyaḥ/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘हृदि’ इत्यस्य विशेषणवत् (in the middle)

• विभाव्यः: to be contemplated/meditated upon
• विभाव्यः: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-भू (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त; भाव्य)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘विचार्यः/ध्यातव्यः’

• मनीषिभिः: by the wise
• मनीषिभिः: Kartr/Agent (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• ज्ञप्तिमात्रः: mere consciousness alone
• ज्ञप्तिमात्रः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञप्ति-मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘ईश्वरः’ (mere awareness/knowledge)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (Result/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/परिणामवाचक अव्यय (then)

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: Kartr/Agent (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• मुनिवृत्त्या: by the sages’ way of life
• मुनिवृत्त्या: Karana (Means/Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; साधन/प्रकार (by the conduct of sages)

• विभाव्यः: to be contemplated
• विभाव्यः: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-भू (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त; भाव्य)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनरुक्तिः—‘ध्यातव्यः’

• तपस्विभिः: by ascetics
• तपस्विभिः: Kartr/Agent (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (otherwise)

• चिन्तनीयः: to be thought of/considered
• चिन्तनीयः: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु) + अनीय (कृदन्त; कृत्य)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निषेधेन सह—‘न चिन्तनीयः’

Speaker

Sadāśiva (Śiva in baṭu/brahmacārin disguise)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ascetic seated in meditation before the Kedāra peaks; within the chest a subtle luminous Śiva-presence as pure light/awareness (not a formed deity), radiating calm; surrounding world fades into stillness.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Sadāśiva
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Meditate on Śiva within the heart as pure consciousness, maintaining the disciplined inner posture of a sage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to Kedārakhaṇḍa, linking inner dhyāna with the sanctity of Kedāra/Kedārnātha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditation (dhyāna) is prescribed—contemplating the Lord as pure awareness, not as a merely external object.