Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

ततो नंदी समादाय तल्लीलाकमलं विभोः । प्रणम्य देवदेवेशमाविशद्गह्वरां गुहाम्

Transliteration

tato naṃdī samādāya tallīlākamalaṃ vibhoḥ | praṇamya devadeveśamāviśadgahvarāṃ guhām

Translation

Da nahm Nandī jenen göttlichen „Līlā-Lotos“ des Herrn an sich und, vor dem Gott der Götter sich verneigend, trat er in die tiefe, höhlenartige Grotte ein.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• नंदी: Nandin
• नंदी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (Singular)

• समादाय: having taken
• समादाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• लीलाकमलम्: play-lotus
• लीलाकमलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक) + कमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विभोः: of the Lord
• विभोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• देवदेवेशम्: the Lord of the gods (God of gods)
• देवदेवेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• आविशत्: entered
• आविशत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• गह्वराम्: deep, cavernous
• गह्वराम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गह्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• गुहाम्: cave
• गुहाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrator (Skanda-context narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandī, holding the radiant līlā-lotus, bows to Devadeveśa and steps into a dark, deep, cavern-like cave—threshold between temple-court and ascetic interior.

Characters & Entities

• Nandī
• Śiva (Devadeveśa)
• Cave (guhā/gahvara)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to the Lord’s command, performed with reverence, becomes a sacred act that carries divine power into hidden places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘gahvarā guhā’ (deep cave) associated with the ascetic Jaigīṣavya, within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it narrates Nandī’s reverential approach and entry to fulfill Śiva’s instruction.