Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

प्रविवेश ततो मध्ये द्रष्टुं देवं महेश्वरम् । चकार गतिविक्षेपं गुंठनैरवगुंठनैः

Transliteration

praviveśa tato madhye draṣṭuṃ devaṃ maheśvaram | cakāra gativikṣepaṃ guṃṭhanairavaguṃṭhanaiḥ

Translation

Dann trat er in die Mitte ein, um den Gott Maheśvara zu schauen; und er bewirkte täuschende Bewegungswechsel, mit Verhüllungen und Gegenverhüllungen.

Word by Word

• प्रविवेश: entered
• प्रविवेश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तरवाचक-अव्यय; adverb

• मध्ये: in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; locative singular

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); purpose

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara (Great Lord)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; महा + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to देवम्

• चकार: did/made
• चकार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• गतिविक्षेपम्: a diversion of movement
• गतिविक्षेपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति-विक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक; गति + विक्षेप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular

• गुंठनैः: by coverings/veils
• गुंठनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुंठन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• अवगुंठनैः: by concealments/coverings
• अवगुंठनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव-गुंठन (प्रातिपदिक; अव + गुंठन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental plural

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dove slips into a crowded inner space to glimpse Maheśvara; it darts with feints and sudden turns, hiding and re-hiding among pillars, drapes, and shadows.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Agni (implied)
• Pārāvata (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

No stratagem can truly hide intent from Maheśvara; divine awareness penetrates all veils.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not stated in this verse; the passage functions as narrative support within the tīrtha chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse narrates the approach and concealment behavior in the story.