Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 151

गगनस्थो यथा चंद्रो ग्रहीतुं न हि शक्यते । तथैव दुर्गमः शर्भुर्जानीहि त्वं शुचिस्मिते

gaganastho yathā caṃdro grahītuṃ na hi śakyate | tathaiva durgamaḥ śarbhurjānīhi tvaṃ śucismite

Así como la luna, situada en el cielo, no puede ser apresada, del mismo modo Śarbhu es difícil de alcanzar. Sábelo, oh de sonrisa pura.

गगनस्थःsituated in the sky
गगनस्थः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootगगन (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष समास (गगने स्थितः), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'चन्द्रः'
यथाjust as
यथा:
Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formउपमानवाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)
चन्द्रःthe moon
चन्द्रः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootचन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन
ग्रहीतुम्to grasp
ग्रहीतुम्:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Rootग्रह् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
Formतुमुनन्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थक; ‘to seize/take’
not
:
Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (emphatic/indeed)
शक्यतेis possible
शक्यते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootशक् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)
तथाso; likewise
तथा:
Upamana (Correlative/तथैव)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formतद्वत्/एवम् अर्थे अव्यय (correlative adverb)
एवindeed; just
एव:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक निपात (emphasis)
दुर्गमःhard to reach
दुर्गमः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootदुर्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; predicate adjective
शर्भुःŚarbhū (Śiva)
शर्भुः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootशर्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; name/epithet of Śiva
जानीहिknow (you)
जानीहि:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootज्ञा (धातु)
Formलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2), एकवचन
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formप्रथमा (1), एकवचन; 2nd person pronoun
शुचिस्मितेO one with a pure smile
शुचिस्मिते:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootशुचि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मित (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय समास (शुचि स्मितं यस्याः/या), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

Himālaya (to Pārvatī)

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Scene: A poetic comparison: the moon high in the sky cannot be seized; likewise Śarbhu (Śiva) is hard to reach; addressed to a smiling, pure one.

Ś
Śarbhu (Śiva)
P
Pārvatī
M
Moon (Candra)

FAQs

The Divine is not an object to be ‘possessed’; realization comes through worthiness, grace, and sustained sādhanā.

The verse sits within Kedāra-khaṇḍa, aligning the teaching with the Kedāra region’s Shaiva sacredness.

None; it offers a metaphor underscoring Śiva’s transcendence and difficulty of attainment.