Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

य एवं भक्तियुक्तस्तु श्रुत्वा शास्त्रमनुतमम् । पूजयेदुपदेष्टारं स शैवं पदमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

ya evaṃ bhaktiyuktastu śrutvā śāstramanutamam | pūjayedupadeṣṭāraṃ sa śaivaṃ padamāpnuyāt

Translation

Demikianlah, sesiapa yang berbakti, setelah mendengar ajaran yang tiada banding ini dan memuja guru pemberi petunjuk, akan mencapai kedudukan Śaiva yang tertinggi.

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): thus/in this manner

• भक्ति-युक्तः: endowed with devotion
• भक्ति-युक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘भक्त्या युक्तः’); युक्त = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used adjectivally); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): indeed/and

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund): ‘having heard’

• शास्त्रम्: the scripture/teaching
• शास्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अनुतमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुतमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anuttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (superlative sense: unsurpassed)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• उपदेष्टारम्: the instructor/teacher
• उपदेष्टारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उप + दिश् (धातु) → उपदेष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्तृ-प्रातिपदिक (agent noun)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शैवम्: Śaiva, pertaining to Śiva
• शैवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with पदम्)

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आप्नुयात्: would attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (Result action/फल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्/आप्नु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Unknown (Māhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in tīrthamāhātmya style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience within māhātmya frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee listens to scripture with tears of devotion, then worships the instructor; above, a luminous Śiva-state is depicted—Śiva as radiant linga or seated Mahādeva in serene transcendence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied by śaivaṃ padam)
• Upadeṣṭṛ (Teacher)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional listening and reverence to the spiritual instructor culminate in the highest Śaiva spiritual attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Śrīhāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya setting within Nāgarakhaṇḍa, linking the place’s merit with Śaiva realization.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upadeṣṭṛ-pūjā (honoring the instructor) performed with devotion after hearing the sacred teaching.