Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

ततस्तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य गतोऽहं शैलसत्तमम् । ओषधिप्रस्थनिलयं साक्षादिव दिवस्पतिम्

Transliteration

tatastadvākyamākarṇya gato'haṃ śailasattamam | oṣadhiprasthanilayaṃ sākṣādiva divaspatim

Translation

Als ich seine Worte vernommen hatte, ging ich zu jenem erhabensten Berg, zur Wohnstatt auf dem kräuterbedeckten Hochplateau, wo der Herr des Tages gleichsam sichtbar gegenwärtig schien.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of sequence)

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

• वाक्यम्: statement, words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ+कर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); Absolutive 'having heard'

• गतः: gone, went
• गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle) परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; (अहं इति कर्तरि)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 1st person pronoun, Nominative, Singular

• शैल-सत्तमम्: the best of mountains
• शैल-सत्तमम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म-गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; कर्मधारयः (सत्तमः शैलः)

• ओषधि-प्रस्थ-निलयम्: abode on the herb-covered plateau
• ओषधि-प्रस्थ-निलयम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म-गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओषधि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + निलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; समाहार/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला (ओषधीनां प्रस्थः तस्य निलयः)

• साक्षात्: directly, in person
• साक्षात्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण; 'directly, manifestly'

• इव: as if, like
• इव: Upamana-dyotaka (Comparative marker/उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय; particle of comparison

• दिवस्-पतिम्: lord of the day (the Sun)
• दिवस्-पतिम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म-गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस् (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दिवसः पतिः)

Speaker

Nārada (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Oṣadhi-prastha (herb-plateau) of Śaila-sattama

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/primary interlocutor in frame (not explicit here)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A traveler ascends toward the best of mountains, reaching an herb-carpeted plateau; the air shimmers as if the Sun stands visibly present; the mountain’s abode appears like a divine court in nature.

Characters & Entities

• Śaila-sattama (best mountain)
• Oṣadhi-prastha (herb plateau)
• Divaspati (epithet)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prompt action after receiving dhārmic counsel—sacred tasks are undertaken without delay, and holy landscapes support divine purposes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A ‘best of mountains’ with an herb-rich plateau is described, but no specific named tīrtha is provided in this verse alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes travel to a sanctified landscape, aligning with Skanda Purana’s sacred-geography mode.