Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

मंत्रजाप्याद्ददात्येषा सर्वसिद्धीर्यथोप्सिताः । पातालस्य बिलं चैतद्गुहशक्त्या कृतं महत्

Transliteration

maṃtrajāpyāddadātyeṣā sarvasiddhīryathopsitāḥ | pātālasya bilaṃ caitadguhaśaktyā kṛtaṃ mahat

Translation

Durch das Rezitieren des Mantras verleiht Sie alle Siddhis genau nach Wunsch. Und diese große Höhle in Pātāla ist durch die Kraft Guha’s (Skanda) erschaffen worden.

Word by Word

• मन्त्रजाप्यात्: from mantra-recitation
• मन्त्रजाप्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र + जाप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मन्त्रस्य जाप्यम्)

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एषा: this (she)
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सर्वसिद्धीः: all siddhis
• सर्वसिद्धीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः

• यथा: as, according to
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमा (adverb)

• उप्सिताः: desired
• उप्सिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप्सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (इष्ट/अभीष्टार्थे), ‘सिद्धयः’ इति अध्याहृत-विशेषणम्

• पातालस्य: of the netherworld (Pātāla)
• पातालस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• बिलम्: cave, hollow
• बिलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st)/द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (predicate/subject)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st)/द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (इदम्)

• गुहशक्त्या: by the power of Guha (Kārttikeya)
• गुहशक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गुहस्य शक्तिः)

• कृतम्: made, created
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘बिलम्/एतत्’ इत्यस्य विधेयम्

• महत्: great, vast
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘बिलम्/एतत्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), by Māheśvarakhaṇḍa contextual attribution

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pātāla-bila (Guha-kṛta) / Siddhāmbikā Siddhi-sthāna

Type: cave

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast cavern descending into Pātāla, with carved rock forms suggesting divine workmanship; at its heart, Siddhāmbikā radiates, granting boons as a sādhaka performs intense japa; subtle iconography of Guha/Skanda (vel/spear motif) marks the cave’s origin.

Characters & Entities

• Siddhāmbikā (implied)
• Mantra-japa
• Pātāla
• Guha (Skanda/Kumāra)
• Bila (cavern)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mantra-japa, when aligned with divine presence, yields precise fruits; the tīrtha is empowered by Skanda’s śakti, making it uniquely potent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A great ‘bila’ (cavern) connected with Pātāla at the Siddhakūpa/Siddheśa locale, said to be formed by Guha’s power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mantra-japa as the direct means by which Siddhāmbikā grants desired siddhis.