Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

कपर्द्धिनं चंद्रकलाविभूषणं वेदांतवेद्यं परमात्मनि स्थितम् । ववंद शीर्ष्णा च तदा हिमाचलः परां मुदं प्रापदहीनसत्त्वः

Transliteration

kaparddhinaṃ caṃdrakalāvibhūṣaṇaṃ vedāṃtavedyaṃ paramātmani sthitam | vavaṃda śīrṣṇā ca tadā himācalaḥ parāṃ mudaṃ prāpadahīnasattvaḥ

Translation

ครั้งนั้นหิมาจลก้มเศียรนอบน้อมแด่พระผู้เป็นเจ้า—ผู้ทรงชฎา ประดับด้วยเสี้ยวจันทร์ เป็นที่รู้ได้ด้วยเวทานตะ และตั้งมั่นในปรมาตมัน ด้วยใจมั่นคงจึงบรรลุปีติอันสูงสุด

Word by Word

• कपर्द्धिनम्: the matted-haired one (Śiva)
• कपर्द्धिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपर्द्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• चन्द्रकला-विभूषणम्: adorned with the crescent moon
• चन्द्रकला-विभूषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्रकला (प्रातिपदिक) + विभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चन्द्रकलायाः विभूषणम्) विशेषणम्

• वेदान्त-वेद्यम्: knowable through Vedānta
• वेदान्त-वेद्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वेद्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वेदान्तेन वेद्यः) विशेषणम्

• परमात्मनि: in the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्थितम्: situated/abiding
• स्थितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कपर्द्धिनम् इत्यादीनां)

• ववन्द: bowed/saluted
• ववन्द: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• शीर्ष्णा: with (his) head
• शीर्ष्णा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीर्षन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• हिमाचलः: Himālaya (the snowy mountain)
• हिमाचलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमाचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (हिमस्य अचलः)

• पराम्: supreme/great
• पराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मुदम्)

• मुदम्: joy
• मुदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रापद: attained
• प्रापद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• अहीनसत्त्वः: whose courage/strength was not diminished
• अहीनसत्त्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य सत्त्वं न हीनम्) विशेषणम् (हिमाचलः)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied audience of sages/devotees within Kedārakhaṇḍa frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Personified Himācala, majestic and serene, bows with folded hands before Śiva—matted locks, crescent moon, tranquil radiance—amid snowy peaks and a sanctified Himalayan shrine atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Kapardhin)
• Crescent moon
• Vedānta
• Himācala/Himavān

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence (praṇāma) to Śiva—who is both personal Lord and Vedāntic Reality—yields supreme inner joy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra Himalayan sphere, where Śiva’s ascetic-majestic form is contemplated and worshipped.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act of bowing (śirasā vandana) is exemplified as a core devotional offering.