Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । शैलादे प्रविशाशु त्वं गुहास्त्यत्र मनोहरा । तदंतरेस्ति मे भक्तो जैगीषव्यस्तपोधनः

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | śailāde praviśāśu tvaṃ guhāstyatra manoharā | tadaṃtaresti me bhakto jaigīṣavyastapodhanaḥ

Translation

ഈശ്വരൻ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു— “നീ വേഗത്തിൽ ശൈലാദത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിക്കൂ; അവിടെ മനോഹരമായൊരു ഗുഹയുണ്ട്. അതിന്റെ ഉള്ളിൽ എന്റെ ഭക്തനായ തപോധനൻ ജൈഗീഷവ്യൻ വസിക്കുന്നു.”

Word by Word

• ईश्वरः: Īśvara (Lord Śiva)
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• शैलात्: from the mountain
• शैलात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ए: O (hey)
• ए: Sambodhana marker (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ए (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; संबोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• प्रविश: enter
• प्रविश: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/त्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गुहाः: caves
• गुहाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (अस्ति इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• मनोहराः: beautiful/charming
• मनोहराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘गुहाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तदन्तरे: in that interior/within it
• तदन्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘तस्य अन्तरे’ = ‘तस्मिन् मध्ये’

• अस्ति: there is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भक्तः: devotee
• भक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (अस्ति इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जैगीषव्यः: Jaigīṣavya
• जैगीषव्यः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जैगीषव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• तपोधनः: one whose wealth is austerity (great ascetic)
• तपोधनः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘तपः धनं यस्य सः’

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara/Dhūrjaṭi)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śailāda-guhā (Jaigīṣavya-nivāsa)

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nandī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandī, radiant and strong, approaches a rocky hill called Śailāda. A beautiful cave mouth opens with vines and a soft inner glow. Inside sits Jaigīṣavya, emaciated yet luminous, in deep meditation with ash-smeared body.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Īśvara)
• Nandī
• Śailāda
• Jaigīṣavya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True spiritual wealth is tapas joined with devotion; the Lord personally acknowledges and protects such devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śailāda and its ‘manoharā’ cave are highlighted as a sacred abode of a great Śaiva ascetic.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A divine directive: Nandī is to enter the cave and approach the ascetic devotee Jaigīṣavya.