Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

स द्वादशाब्ददेशीयो वशिष्ठो गुरुणा सह । ययौ केदारयात्रार्थं गिरिं गौरीगुरोर्गुरुम्

Transliteration

sa dvādaśābdadeśīyo vaśiṣṭho guruṇā saha | yayau kedārayātrārthaṃ giriṃ gaurīgurorgurum

Translation

When Vasiṣṭha had reached twelve years of age, he set out with his teacher on pilgrimage to Kedāra—toward the mountain that is the supreme Guru even of Gaurī’s guru.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• द्वादशाब्ददेशीयः: twelve years old
• द्वादशाब्ददेशीयः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + देशीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् — ‘द्वादशाब्द-देशीय’ = ‘twelve-years-old/of twelve years’

• वशिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वशिष्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वशिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• गुरुणा: with the guru
• गुरुणा: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (सह/साकम्), एकवचनम्

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्ययम् (preposition-like indeclinable)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• केदारयात्रार्थम्: for the purpose of the Kedāra pilgrimage
• केदारयात्रार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केदार (प्रातिपदिक) + यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; प्रयोजनवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverbial accusative) — ‘केदारयात्रायाः अर्थम्’

• गिरिम्: mountain
• गिरिम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• गौरीगुरोः: of Gaurī’s guru
• गौरीगुरोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक) + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्; ‘गौऱ्याः गुरुः’ (i.e., Himālaya)

• गुरुम्: the venerable one/teacher (i.e., the great mountain)
• गुरुम्: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘गिरिम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Śiva (continuing the narrative addressed to Aparṇā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedārnātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A young Vasiṣṭha, walking beside his guru, begins the arduous Himalayan journey toward Kedāra; towering snow peaks, pine forests, and a distant stone temple silhouette suggest the ‘parama-guru’ mountain.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Kedāra-yātrā
• Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• Giri (sacred mountain)
• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage undertaken under a guru’s guidance becomes a powerful vehicle for Śaiva growth and sanctification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra (Kedāreśvara) and its sacred mountain setting, presented as supremely venerable.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kedāra-yātrā—undertaking the pilgrimage to Kedāra, explicitly in the company of one’s guru.