Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

महानियमवान्नंदिस्त्वगस्थिस्नायु शेषितः । तमिहानय मद्भक्तं मद्दर्शन दृढव्रतम्

Transliteration

mahāniyamavānnaṃdistvagasthisnāyu śeṣitaḥ | tamihānaya madbhaktaṃ maddarśana dṛḍhavratam

Translation

“നന്ദീ! അവൻ മഹാനിയമവാൻ; ത്വക്ക്, അസ്ഥി, സ്നായു മാത്രമേ ശേഷിച്ചുള്ളൂ. എന്റെ ദർശനത്തിനായി ദൃഢവ്രതനായ എന്റെ ഭക്തനെ ഇവിടെ കൊണ്ടുവരിക.”

Word by Word

• महानियमवान्: possessing great restraints
• महानियमवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महानियमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘महानियमाः सन्ति यस्य’

• नन्दिः: Nandi
• नन्दिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्वक्: skin
• त्वक्: Samasa-anga (compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (त्वगस्थि...)

• अस्थि: bone
• अस्थि: Samasa-anga (compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• स्नायु: sinew
• स्नायु: Samasa-anga (compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• शेषितः: reduced to (mere)
• शेषितः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिष् (धातु) + क्त → शेषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle) ‘अवशिष्टः/शेषः कृतः’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• आनय: bring
• आनय: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + नी (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मद्भक्तम्: my devotee
• मद्भक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘मम भक्तम्’

• मद्दर्शन: (for) seeing me / my vision
• मद्दर्शन: Karma (Object/कर्म) (व्रतस्य विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘मम दर्शनम्’ (समासपूर्वपद)

• दृढव्रतम्: firm-vowed
• दृढव्रतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘दृढं व्रतं यस्य’ (विशेषणरूपेण)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jaigīṣavya’s cave-abode (Śailāda)

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nandī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva speaks to Nandī, gesturing toward the cave’s direction. A vision-like inset shows Jaigīṣavya: a skeletal ascetic, skin stretched over bones, seated immobile with closed eyes, rudrākṣa and ash, radiating quiet power.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Nandī
• Jaigīṣavya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast vows and self-restraint aimed at divine darśana are honored by Śiva and culminate in grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative remains tied to Śailāda’s cave-dwelling ascetic within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The instruction to bring the ascetic before Śiva for darśana, implying the fruition of a long vrata.