Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

बिलेन च यथा शक्यं गंतुं तत्र श्रृणुष्व तत् । निरन्नं वै निरुदकं देवमाराधयेद्गुहम्

Transliteration

bilena ca yathā śakyaṃ gaṃtuṃ tatra śrṛṇuṣva tat | nirannaṃ vai nirudakaṃ devamārādhayedguham

Translation

Höre nun, wie man dorthin durch eine Höhle gelangen kann. Man soll den göttlichen Guha verehren, indem man von Speise fastet und sich des Wassers enthält.

Word by Word

• बिलेन: by/through a hole, with a cave-opening
• बिलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd case), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'as/how')

• शक्यम्: possible
• शक्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त; शक् धातु)
• Form: शक् (धातु) + यत् (यत्-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjectival 'possible'

• गन्तुम्: to go
• गन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (infinitive); 'to go'

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

• शृणुष्व: listen/hear
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 'hear!'

• तत्: that (instruction)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd case), एकवचन; pronoun

• निरन्नम्: without food
• निरन्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'foodless' (निर्गतं अन्नं यस्मात्)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• निरुदकम्: without water
• निरुदकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'waterless'

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of worship

• आराधयेत्: should worship
• आराधयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 'should worship/propitiate'

• गुहम्: Guha (Skanda)
• गुहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Skanda/Kumāra

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guha (cave approach) leading toward Stambha-tīrtha

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (addressed as ‘O Bhārata’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at the mouth of a narrow cave (bila), hands folded, performing austere worship of Guha in dim lamplight, with signs of fasting and restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Guha (Skanda/Kārttikeya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Access to sacred paths is linked to tapas and devotion—self-restraint becomes the key to divine assistance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the cave-route (bila) leading onward from the Kedāra-region sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship Guha (Skanda) while observing a severe fast: niranna (no food) and nirudaka (no water).