Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अथाऽपश्यद्ध्यानदृष्ट्या गंगासक्तं महेश्वरम् । गौर्या भयेन सव्याजं ततो विस्मयमागतः

Transliteration

athā'paśyaddhyānadṛṣṭyā gaṃgāsaktaṃ maheśvaram | gauryā bhayena savyājaṃ tato vismayamāgataḥ

Translation

Dann sah er mit dem aus der Meditation geborenen Blick Maheśvara, der an der Gaṅgā hing, und erkannte, dass dies unter einem Vorwand aus Furcht vor Gaurī geschah; da wurde er von Verwunderung getroffen.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then)

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः अ- (simple past) — Imperfect 3rd sg (he saw)

• ध्यान-दृष्ट्या: by meditative sight
• ध्यान-दृष्ट्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (ध्यानेन दृष्टिः/ध्यानस्य दृष्टिः) — Instrumental singular (with meditative vision)

• गंगा-सक्तम्: attached to Gaṅgā
• गंगा-सक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गंगा (प्रातिपदिक) + सक्त (कृदन्त; सञ्ज्/सक् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (गंगायां सक्तः) — Accusative singular (attached to/absorbed in Gaṅgā)

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् ईश्वरः) — Accusative singular

• गौर्या: by/through Gaurī
• गौर्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Instrumental singular (by/with Gaurī)

• भयेन: from fear
• भयेन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Instrumental singular (out of fear)

• स-व्याजम्: with a pretext
• स-व्याजम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + व्याज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुषसदृशः (व्याजेन सह) — Accusative singular (with pretext)

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/हेतौ अव्यय (thereupon/therefore)

• विस्मयम्: astonishment
• विस्मयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• आगतः: came to/attained
• आगतः: Kriya (Resultant state/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग) ; आगत (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past participle (having come/attained)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Jāhnavī) in relation to Maheśvara

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The meditating sage’s inner vision opens: he beholds Śiva near/with Gaṅgā, and perceives a concealed pretext driven by fear of Pārvatī; the sage is astonished.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Gaṅgā
• Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• Nārada (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Meditative insight reveals hidden motives behind outward acts, encouraging spiritual discernment (viveka).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse reinforces Gaṅgā’s sanctifying centrality within a localized Arbuda narrative, effectively linking the locale to Gaṅgā’s purifying fame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new prescription; it clarifies that the ‘vrata’ was a pretext (vyāja) and highlights dhyāna as the means of knowing.