Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 168

Devanagari script

निष्कामं वाक्यमाकर्ण्य किरातस्य तदा भवः । ददौ पार्षदमुख्यत्वं द्वारपालत्वमेव च

Transliteration

niṣkāmaṃ vākyamākarṇya kirātasya tadā bhavaḥ | dadau pārṣadamukhyatvaṃ dvārapālatvameva ca

Translation

ครั้นได้สดับถ้อยคำอันปราศจากความใคร่ปรารถนาของกิราตะแล้ว ภวะจึงประทานตำแหน่งหัวหน้าหมู่คณะบริวาร และยังมอบหน้าที่เป็นทวารบาลด้วย

Word by Word

• निष्कामम्: desireless, selfless
• निष्कामम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘वाक्यम्’ इति पदं विशेषयति

• वाक्यम्: speech, statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + √कर्ण्/√कृ (धातु; ‘श्रवणे’ अर्थे √कर्ण् इति परम्परापाठः)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘श्रुत्वा/आकर्ण्य’ = having heard

• किरातस्य: of the Kirāta (hunter)
• किरातस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• भवः: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक; शिवनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पार्षदमुख्यत्वम्: the status of chief attendant
• पार्षदमुख्यत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षद (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (पार्षदानां मुख्यः तस्य भावः = chief-attendant-hood)

• द्वारपालत्वम्: the status of door-keeper
• द्वारपालत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (द्वारस्य पालः तस्य भावः)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis: indeed/just)

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

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhava (Śiva) acknowledges the Kirāta’s selfless speech and bestows honors: a gaṇa-chief insignia and the role of gatekeeper at the divine abode/temple threshold; attendants gather in reverent astonishment.

Characters & Entities

• Bhava (Śiva)
• Kirāta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Selfless devotion (niṣkāma-bhakti) draws Śiva’s grace and spiritual elevation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra, where Śiva’s grace is portrayed as immediately responsive to pure devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes a divine bestowal of office (pārṣada and dvārapāla) as fruit of devotion.