Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

नित्यं संनिहितस्तत्र शङ्करो ह्युमया सह । ततोऽहं नियतस्तत्र तस्य पादाग्रसंस्थितः

Transliteration

nityaṃ saṃnihitastatra śaṅkaro hyumayā saha | tato'haṃ niyatastatra tasya pādāgrasaṃsthitaḥ

Translation

Śaṅkara ist dort stets gegenwärtig, wahrlich zusammen mit Umā. Darum verweile auch ich dort fest, am vordersten Saum seiner Füße, in hingebungsvoller Dienerschaft.

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण (adverbial accusative)

• संनिहितः: is present/abides
• संनिहितः: Kriya (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + नि + धा (धातु) → संनिहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; स्थित्यर्थकः (‘present/near’)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• उमया: with Umā
• उमया: Sahakari (Co-agent/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-शब्दः; सहार्थक-अव्यय (postposition)

• ततः: thereupon/from there
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमवाचक (from there/then)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नियतः: restrained/appointed
• नियतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + यम् (धातु) → नियत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) विशेषणवत्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पादाग्रसंस्थितः: standing at (his) feet
• पादाग्रसंस्थितः: Kriya (Predicate/स्थिति)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाद + अग्र + संस्थित (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (पादाग्रे संस्थितः = standing at the tip of the feet); संस्थित = सम् + स्था (धातु) क्त

Speaker

First-person devotee/narrated witness (unnamed in snippet; within Revā Khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Amaraṃkaṭa (Amarkantak)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Umā-Maheśvara enthroned or standing in serene presence upon the sacred hill; Skanda stands at the forepart of Śiva’s feet in devoted attendance, hands folded, gaze lowered.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Umā (Pārvatī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha is holy because Śiva’s presence is perpetual; the ideal response is humble service and devotion at the Lord’s feet.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Amaraṃkaṭa (Amarkantak) region—described as the place where Śiva abides eternally with Umā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes devotional attendance (pāda-sevā/bhakti).