Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

मया किं क्रियतां देव कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ । ये सत्यशीलाः शांताश्च वदान्या निरवग्रहाः

Transliteration

mayā kiṃ kriyatāṃ deva kāryākāryavyavasthitau | ye satyaśīlāḥ śāṃtāśca vadānyā niravagrahāḥ

Translation

Wahai Deva, apakah yang harus aku lakukan dalam menentukan apa yang patut dibuat dan apa yang tidak? Kerana ada mereka yang berpegang pada kebenaran, damai, pemurah, dan tidak suka menghalang atau berbantah.

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावे प्रयोगः (used adverbially: 'what?')

• क्रियताम्: let (it) be done
• क्रियताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive): 'let it be done'

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• कार्य: what should be done
• कार्य: Visheshya (Head-term within compound/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः कृत्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (member of compound)

• अकार्य: what should not be done
• अकार्य: Visheshya (Head-term within compound/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार्य (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (member of compound)

• व्यवस्थितौ: in (matters) of what is to be done and not to be done, being settled/decided
• व्यवस्थितौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त; वि+अव+स्था धातोः क्त)
• Form: समासः: कार्य-अकार्य-व्यवस्थितौ (द्वन्द्व/itaretara-dvandva as a compound base); 'व्यवस्थित' = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), द्विवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सत्यशीलाः: truthful-natured
• सत्यशीलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य + शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: सत्य-शील (कर्मधारय: 'truthful in conduct'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शान्ताः: peaceful
• शान्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक; शम् धातोः क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वदान्याः: generous
• वदान्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वदान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• निरवग्रहाः: unobstructed / unrestrained
• निरवग्रहाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + अवग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: निर्-अवग्रह (तत्पुरुष; 'without obstruction/without restraint'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A supplicant (often read as Yama or a devotee) stands with folded hands before Śiva in a Himalayan tīrtha, asking how to decide duty and non-duty; around them are serene, truth-abiding sages embodying śama and dāna.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (address)
• Dharma
• Satya
• Śānti
• Dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires discernment; virtues like truth, peace, and generosity guide right action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ethical counsel appears within Kedāra-khaṇḍa, aligning pilgrim conduct with Kedāra’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; it emphasizes moral qualifications—satya, śānti, and vadānyatā.