Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

अथ काले व्यतिक्रांते कियन्मात्रे यदृच्छया । विचरन्नगमं शैलं हिमानीरुद्धकंदरम्

Transliteration

atha kāle vyatikrāṃte kiyanmātre yadṛcchayā | vicarannagamaṃ śailaṃ himānīruddhakaṃdaram

Translation

Puis, après qu’un certain temps se fut écoulé, errant au hasard, j’atteignis une montagne dont les grottes étaient barrées par des nappes de neige.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/thereupon
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरवाचक-अव्ययम् (sequencing particle)

• काले: in time/when time
• काले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचनम्

• व्यतिक्रान्ते: having passed/elapsed
• व्यतिक्रान्ते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-अति-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचनम्; ‘काले’ इति विशेषणम्

• कियत्-मात्रे: in a short measure (of time)
• कियत्-मात्रे: Adhikarana (Time/Measure-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कियत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (कियतः मात्रम्)

• यदृच्छया: by chance/accidentally
• यदृच्छया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदृच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचनम्; अव्ययीभावार्थे प्रयोगः (by chance)

• विचरन्: wandering
• विचरन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चर् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम्; कर्तरि

• अगमम्: inaccessible
• अगमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचनम्; ‘शैलम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• शैलम्: mountain
• शैलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचनम्

• हिमानी-रुद्ध-कन्दरम्: whose caves were blocked by snow
• हिमानी-रुद्ध-कन्दरम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिमानी (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + कन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (हिमान्या रुद्धाः कन्दराः यस्य/यत्र) — ‘शैलम्’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Unnamed snow-bound śaila (tapas-bhūmi)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A traveler approaches a towering white mountain; cave mouths are sealed with blue-white snow sheets, pine silhouettes and icy wind lines; the path narrows, suggesting entry into a hidden āśrama realm.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Providence can lead one from restlessness into austere sacred landscapes where transformation becomes possible.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse describes a snow-bound mountain generally; no named tīrtha appears in this line alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; it sets the scene for an ascetic context.