Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

बहुकालं महेशानं मनसाध्याय संस्थितः । निराहारोऽपि विप्रर्षिर्मरणं नाभ्यपद्यत

Transliteration

bahukālaṃ maheśānaṃ manasādhyāya saṃsthitaḥ | nirāhāro'pi viprarṣirmaraṇaṃ nābhyapadyata

Translation

Longtemps il demeura absorbé dans la méditation intérieure sur Maheśāna ; bien qu’à jeun, ce brahmane-voyant ne succomba pas à la mort.

Word by Word

• बहुकालम्: for a long time
• बहुकालम्: Kāla (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahu + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/अत्यन्तसंयोग/कालावधि), एकवचन; ‘बहुकालम्’ = दीर्घकालम् (for a long time)

• महेशानम्: Maheśāna (Śiva)
• महेशानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + īśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘महेशान’ = महान् ईशानः (Maheśāna)

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• ध्याय: having meditated
• ध्याय: Pūrvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dhyai (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘ध्याय’ = ध्यात्वा (having meditated)

• संस्थितः: remained/was established
• संस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘स्थितः’ = अवस्थितः

• निराहारः: without food
• निराहारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—निः आहारः यस्य (without food)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (also/even)

• विप्रर्षिः: the brahmin-sage
• विप्रर्षिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘विप्रर्षिः’ = विप्रः च ऋषिः (brahmin-sage)

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधबोधक अव्यय (negation)

• अभ्यपद्यत: met/attained
• अभ्यपद्यत: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√pad (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘अभ्यपद्यत’ = प्राप्तवान्/आपन्नः

Speaker

Narrator (contextually: Śrī Markaṇḍeya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Time passes—sun and moon cycles suggested—yet the ascetic remains alive, emaciated but radiant, eyes closed in meditation; the trident/stake stands like an axis, with a subtle protective aura around him.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśāna
• Viprarṣi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Single-pointed meditation on Śiva is portrayed as sustaining life and overcoming the ordinary fear of death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider Revā Khaṇḍa milieu (the Revā/Narmadā sacred region) frames the austerity as part of that holy landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Fasting (nirāhāra/upavāsa) together with mental meditation (mānasa-dhyāna) is implicitly praised.