Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 1
सूत उवाच । नित्यानंदमयं शांतं निर्विकल्पं निरामयम् । शिवतत्त्वमनाद्यंतं ये विदुस्ते परं गताः
sūta uvāca | nityānaṃdamayaṃ śāṃtaṃ nirvikalpaṃ nirāmayam | śivatattvamanādyaṃtaṃ ye viduste paraṃ gatāḥ
सूत उवाच—ये शिवतत्त्वं नित्यानन्दमयं शान्तं निर्विकल्पं निरामयं च, अनाद्यन्तं विदुः, ते परां गतिम् आप्नुवन्ति।
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta)
Listener: Ṛṣis (Naimiṣāraṇya setting implied by Purāṇic frame)
Scene: Sūta, seated in a forest-āśrama or yajña-sabhā, teaches sages about the formless, tranquil Śiva-tattva; the imagery emphasizes stillness—white ash, crescent moon, and a luminous, unbounded presence rather than a concrete icon.
FAQs
Liberation is attained by realizing Śiva’s true nature—eternal bliss, peace, and transcendence beyond mental constructs.
No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it presents a universal teaching on Śiva-tattva rather than a site-mahātmya.
No specific ritual is prescribed here; the emphasis is on jñāna (true knowing) of Śiva’s reality.