Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

क्षमस्व पादघातं मे दयया पापचेतसः । त्वन्मूर्द्धनि कृतावासं शंकरं दर्शयस्व मे

Transliteration

kṣamasva pādaghātaṃ me dayayā pāpacetasaḥ | tvanmūrddhani kṛtāvāsaṃ śaṃkaraṃ darśayasva me

Translation

„Vergib mir aus Erbarmen den Tritt meines Fußes, der aus sündigem Sinn entspringt. Zeige mir Śaṅkara, der auf deinem Gipfel Wohnung genommen hat.“

Word by Word

• क्षमस्व: forgive
• क्षमस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पादघातम्: the blow/strike of (my) foot
• पादघातम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + घात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पादेन घातः)

• मे: my
• मे: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप

• दयया: with compassion
• दयया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पापचेतसः: of me, whose mind is sinful
• पापचेतसः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (पापं चेतः यस्य)

• त्वत्: your
• त्वत्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; रूप: त्वत् (your)

• मूर्धनि: on (your) head
• मूर्धनि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• कृतावासम्: having made his dwelling (there)
• कृतावासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ) + आवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कृतः आवासः यस्य/यत्र)

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दर्शयस्व: show (me)
• दर्शयस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) [णिच् causative: दर्शय]
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (cause to see/show)

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप

Speaker

A pilgrim/devotee reciting the prescribed prayer (as instructed by the narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gandhamādana-giri (Śaṅkara-āvāsa) in Setu-kṣetra

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim, head bowed, asks the sacred mountain for forgiveness; above on the summit, Śaṅkara is envisioned seated in serene majesty, suggesting imminent darśana.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Gandhamādana (addressed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity begins with repentance and humility; the goal of tīrtha-yātrā is darśana of Śiva through grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gandhamādana Mountain, especially its summit associated with Śiva’s presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kṣamā-prārthanā (asking forgiveness) and darśana-prārthanā (seeking vision of Śiva).