Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

दक्षिणायां दिशि ततो निष्पापं मन्यते यदा । तदा गुहोऽस्य स्वप्ने गच्छेति भारत

Transliteration

dakṣiṇāyāṃ diśi tato niṣpāpaṃ manyate yadā | tadā guho'sya svapne gaccheti bhārata

Translation

Alors, lorsqu’il se tient pour purifié du péché, vers le sud Guha lui apparaît en songe et dit : « Va, ô Bhārata ».

Word by Word

• दक्षिणायाम्: in the southern
• दक्षिणायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th case), एकवचन; 'in the southern' (agreeing with दिशि)

• दिशि: direction
• दिशि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; location

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'then/from there')

• निष्पापम्: (him) sinless
• निष्पापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निस् + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'sinless' (पापाभावः)

• मन्यते: considers
• मन्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; 'thinks/considers'

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal conjunction: 'when')

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (correlative: 'then')

• गुहः: Guha
• गुहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st case), एकवचन

• अस्य: of him, to him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/6th case), एकवचन; 'of him'

• स्वप्ने: in a dream
• स्वप्ने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'in a dream'

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 'go!'

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन; vocative

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guha’s dream-command point (dakṣiṇa-mārga)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sleeping pilgrim after austerity; Guha appears in a luminous dream-form, gesturing ‘Go’ toward the south, with a subtle directional aura.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Guha (Skanda)
• Bhārata (Arjuna)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

After purification and devotion, divine guidance arises—often subtly, even through dreams.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the cave-route instruction connected to the Kedāra–Kalāpa sacred corridor.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Purificatory devotion to Guha culminating in niṣpāpatva (sense of sinlessness), after which guidance is received.