Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

गुहामध्यं समासाद्य नित्यं जगद्धिताय वै । विविक्ते न्यवसत्प्रीता दुर्ल्लभा सुरमानवैः

Transliteration

guhāmadhyaṃ samāsādya nityaṃ jagaddhitāya vai | vivikte nyavasatprītā durllabhā suramānavaiḥ

Translation

Parvenue au cœur d’une grotte, elle y demeura sans cesse pour le bien du monde. Dans cette solitude retirée, elle résidait dans la joie, et il était difficile aux dieux comme aux hommes de l’atteindre directement.

Word by Word

• guhā-madhyam: the middle of the cave
• guhā-madhyam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guhā + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गुहायाः मध्यं)

• samāsādya: having reached
• samāsādya: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-ā-sad (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), ‘having reached/approached’

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always/constantly)

• jagat-hitāya: for the welfare of the world
• jagat-hitāya: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat + hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (जगतः हितम्)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• vivikte: in a secluded place
• vivikte: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vivikta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्थानवाचक—‘in a secluded place’

• nyavasat: dwelt/lived
• nyavasat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-vas (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• prītā: pleased
• prītā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prī (धातु) + ktā (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘pleased’

• durlabhā: hard to obtain/rare
• durlabhā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sura-mānavaiḥ: by gods and humans
• sura-mānavaiḥ: Kartr-karana (Agent group in passive sense/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura + mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (सुराश्च मानवाश्च)

Speaker

Narrator (Pulastya continuing; not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-guhā (Devī’s cave-abode)

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī enters the heart of a cave on Arbuda and remains there, pleased in solitude, radiating protective power for the world while remaining difficult to behold.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Guhā (cave sanctuary)
• Sura (gods)
• Mānava (humans)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine may remain hidden in sacred solitude, yet that very hiddenness serves the world—inviting seekers to approach with purity and resolve.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A cave-sanctuary on Arbuda mountain where the Goddess resides.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse implies disciplined approach (seclusion, reverence) to access the Goddess’s presence.