Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

स्कंद उवाच । मंदरं गतवान्देवो ब्रह्मणो वाक्य गौरवात् । तपसा तस्य संतुष्टो मंदरस्यैव भूभृतः

Transliteration

skaṃda uvāca | maṃdaraṃ gatavāndevo brahmaṇo vākya gauravāt | tapasā tasya saṃtuṣṭo maṃdarasyaiva bhūbhṛtaḥ

Translation

Skanda dit : Le Seigneur se rendit à Mandara par respect pour l’ordre de Brahmā. Et la montagne Mandara elle-même fut satisfaite de lui par son austérité.

Word by Word

• स्कन्दः: Skanda
• स्कन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• मन्दरम्: Mandara
• मन्दरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गतवान्: having gone
• गतवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गतवत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्तवत्), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; qualifying देवः

• देवः: the god (Lord)
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• वाक्य: word/command
• वाक्य: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; in compound with गौरवात् (sense: ‘due to the weight of the word’)

• गौरवात्: out of respect/weight (of authority)
• गौरवात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; ablative of cause

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; instrumental

• तस्य: of him/of that (one)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• सन्तुष्टः: satisfied/pleased
• सन्तुष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + तुष् (धातु) → सन्तुष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; qualifying भूभृतः

• मन्दरस्य: of Mandara
• मन्दरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• भूभृतः: the mountain-bearer (mountain)
• भूभृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूभृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘mountain’

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mandara (as Śiva’s tapas-sthala in this episode)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (and assembled listeners)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda narrates: Śiva arrives at Mandara, adopts an austere posture (yoga/tapas) on a rocky ledge; the mountain is personified—its spirit or deity bows, showing satisfaction.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Śiva (Deva/Īśa)
• Brahmā
• Mandara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the Lord’s movements in sacred geography follow dharma and divine order; tapas sanctifies even mountains and places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mandara mountain as a sacred setting, within the broader Kāśī narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is referenced as the sanctifying spiritual practice, though no specific vow is detailed.