Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

चत्वरेषु दुरारोहः पर्वते कुरवस्तथा । निर्झरेषु प्रवाहाख्यो माणिभद्रो निधिष्वपि

Transliteration

catvareṣu durārohaḥ parvate kuravastathā | nirjhareṣu pravāhākhyo māṇibhadro nidhiṣvapi

Translation

عند مفارق الطرق هو دوراروهَا (عسير المنال)، وعلى الجبال هو كورَفَا. وفي الشلالات يُدعى برافاهَاخْيَا، وحتى بين الكنوز المخبّأة يقف بوصفه مانيبهادرا.

Word by Word

• चत्वरेषु: in crossroads/squares
• चत्वरेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चत्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• दुरारोहः: Durāroha (hard to ascend; name)
• दुरारोहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + आरोह (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (दुरारोहो = difficult to climb/approach)

• पर्वते: on the mountain
• पर्वते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कुरवः: Kuravas (name/group)
• कुरवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb; likewise/so)

• निर्झरेषु: in waterfalls/springs
• निर्झरेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्झर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• प्रवाहाख्यः: called Pravāha (name)
• प्रवाहाख्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवाह + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (प्रवाह इति आख्यः/नाम यस्य)

• माणिभद्रः: Māṇibhadra (name)
• माणिभद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माणि + भद्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (Maṇibhadra, proper name)

• निधिषु: among treasures
• निधिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; also/even)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Catuṣpatha (crossroads) / Parvata-sthala / Nirjhara-tīrtha / Nidhi-sthāna

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at a four-way crossroads meets Durāroha, a hard-to-approach guardian; then a mountain ridge with Kurava standing sentinel; a cascading waterfall where Pravāhākhya appears within the spray; and a subterranean vault where Māṇibhadra guards glittering treasures.

Characters & Entities

• Durāroha
• Kurava
• Pravāhākhya
• Māṇibhadra
• Nidhi (treasure/hoard)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Guardianship extends to risky thresholds (crossroads, mountains, torrents) and to wealth itself, urging reverence and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named; the verse sacralizes common pilgrimage terrains and liminal points.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Invoke the appropriate guardian-name when approaching crossings, mountain paths, waterfalls, or places associated with hidden wealth.