Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 111

Devanagari script

नीराजनं च यः पश्ये द्देवदेवस्य शूलिनः । स मुच्येत्पातकैः सर्वैः किं पुनर्यः करिष्यति

Transliteration

nīrājanaṃ ca yaḥ paśye ddevadevasya śūlinaḥ | sa mucyetpātakaiḥ sarvaiḥ kiṃ punaryaḥ kariṣyati

Translation

凡得见天中天、执三叉戟之主的尼罗阇那者，皆能解脱一切罪垢——何况亲自奉行此仪者，其功德更不可量！

Word by Word

• nīrājanam: waving of lights (ārati)
• nīrājanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīrājana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

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

• yaḥ: who (he who)
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• paśyet: should see
• paśyet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Optative, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular)

• devadevasya: of the God of gods
• devadevasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive Tatpurusha; Masculine, Genitive, Singular)

• śūlinaḥ: of the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• śūlinaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūlin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Singular)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• mucyet: would be freed
• mucyet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Optative, Atmanepada, 3rd person, Singular)

• pātakaiḥ: from sins (by/with sins as the thing removed)
• pātakaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural)

• sarvaiḥ: all
• sarvaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural; adjective of pātakaiḥ)

• kim: what (then)
• kim: Prayojana (Interrogative focus/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (Interrogative; Neuter Nom/Acc Singular)

• punar: moreover; then
• punar: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक-निपात (particle meaning 'again/then/moreover')

• yaḥ: who (he who)
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• kariṣyati: will do (perform)
• kariṣyati: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Future, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śaiva sanctum with a black-stone liṅga; priest circles a multi-wick lamp (nīrājana) before Śūlin (Śiva), devotees with folded hands receiving the flame’s radiance; trident iconography visible behind or beside the liṅga.

Characters & Entities

• Devadeva
• Śūlin (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even darśana (reverent seeing) of Śiva’s worship purifies; active service carries still greater spiritual fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse praises the purifying power of nīrājana to Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Participate in nīrājana—at minimum by beholding it; ideally by performing it for the trident-bearing Śiva.