Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

परस्परविरोधेन ज्ञानवादेन मोहिताः । कर्मवादरताः केचित्केचित्स्वगुणमाश्रिताः

Transliteration

parasparavirodhena jñānavādena mohitāḥ | karmavādaratāḥ kecitkecitsvaguṇamāśritāḥ

Translation

ผู้คนบางพวกหลงใหลด้วยลัทธิแห่ง ‘ญาณ’ ที่ขัดแย้งกันเอง จึงยินดีในลัทธิแห่ง ‘กรรม’; ส่วนบางพวกยึดมั่นในสภาวะกำเนิด (คุณะ/guṇa) ของตน

Word by Word

• paraspara-virodhena: by mutual opposition
• paraspara-virodhena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paraspara (प्रातिपदिक) + virodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (परस्परस्य विरोधः)

• jñāna-vādena: by the doctrine/argument of knowledge
• jñāna-vādena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + vāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ज्ञानस्य वादः)

• mohitāḥ: deluded
• mohitāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muh (धातु) → mohita (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि प्रयोगः; ‘deluded’

• karma-vāda-ratāḥ: devoted to the doctrine of ritual action
• karma-vāda-ratāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + vāda (प्रातिपदिक) + rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कर्मवादे रताः)

• kecit: some
• kecit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम (‘some’)

• kecit: some (others)
• kecit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम (‘some others’)

• sva-guṇam: their own quality/nature
• sva-guṇam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (स्वः गुणः)

• āśritāḥ: having resorted to
• āśritāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-śri (धातु) → āśrita (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘having resorted to/depending on’

Speaker

Gaṇeśa (inferred)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Himalayan hermitage near Kedāra: groups of seekers debate—some holding palm-leaf śāstras (jñāna-vāda), others with ritual implements (karma-vāda). A central figure gestures toward a liṅga, suggesting reconciliation beyond dispute.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Doctrinal conflict can itself become a cause of delusion; one must transcend partisanship and understand the proper place of knowledge, action, and temperament.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra region is the narrative setting, but no individual tirtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse critiques attachment to views rather than prescribing a rite.