Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अश्रद्धयापि यः कुर्याच्छिवपूजां विमुक्तिदाम् । पश्येद्वा सोपि कालेन प्रयाति परमं पदम्

Transliteration

aśraddhayāpi yaḥ kuryācchivapūjāṃ vimuktidām | paśyedvā sopi kālena prayāti paramaṃ padam

Translation

ଯେ ଅଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ମୋକ୍ଷଦାୟିନୀ ଶିବପୂଜା କରେ, କିମ୍ବା କେବଳ ତାହାକୁ ଦର୍ଶନ କରେ—ସେ ମଧ୍ୟ କାଳକ୍ରମେ ପରମ ପଦ ପାଏ।

Word by Word

• अश्रद्धया: with lack of faith
• अश्रद्धया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by/with)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), ‘even/also’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Relative pronoun, nominative singular

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; should do

• शिवपूजाम्: worship of Śiva
• शिवपूजाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (object)

• विमुक्तिदाम्: bestowing liberation
• विमुक्तिदाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-आधार)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘giving liberation’ qualifying ‘पूजाम्’

• पश्येत्: should see
• पश्येत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्/दृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; should see

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, nominative singular

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), ‘also/even’

• कालेन: in time
• कालेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (in due course/with time)

• प्रयाति: attains/goes
• प्रयाति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; goes/attains

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular qualifying ‘पदम्’

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (goal)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A temple courtyard where Śiva-pūjā is underway; a passerby with indifferent face still receives the radiance of the rite; above, a subtle path of light suggests eventual ascent to the ‘parama pada’.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s grace makes devotion efficacious beyond one’s initial capacity; even minimal contact (practice or darśana) matures toward liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified; the verse universalizes the salvific reach of Śiva-pūjā and its darśana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śiva-pūjā is recommended; alternatively, darśana (reverent viewing) of Śiva worship is presented as spiritually fruitful.