Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

बिलेन च यथा शक्यं गंतुं तत्र श्रृणुष्व तत् । निरन्नं वै निरुदकं देवमाराधयेद्गुहम्

Transliteration

bilena ca yathā śakyaṃ gaṃtuṃ tatra śrṛṇuṣva tat | nirannaṃ vai nirudakaṃ devamārādhayedguham

Translation

ഗുഹാമാർഗ്ഗം വഴി അവിടെ എങ്ങനെ കഴിയുമോ അങ്ങനെ പോകുന്നതു കേൾക്കുക. അന്നവും ജലവും ഉപവസിച്ച് ദേവൻ ഗുഹ (സ്കന്ദൻ)നെ ആരാധിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• बिलेन: by/through a hole, with a cave-opening
• बिलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd case), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'as/how')

• शक्यम्: possible
• शक्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त; शक् धातु)
• Form: शक् (धातु) + यत् (यत्-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjectival 'possible'

• गन्तुम्: to go
• गन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (infinitive); 'to go'

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• शृणुष्व: listen/hear
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 'hear!'

• तत्: that (instruction)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd case), एकवचन; pronoun

• निरन्नम्: without food
• निरन्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'foodless' (निर्गतं अन्नं यस्मात्)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• निरुदकम्: without water
• निरुदकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'waterless'

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of worship

• आराधयेत्: should worship
• आराधयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 'should worship/propitiate'

• गुहम्: Guha (Skanda)
• गुहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Skanda/Kumāra

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guha (cave approach) leading toward Stambha-tīrtha

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (addressed as ‘O Bhārata’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at the mouth of a narrow cave (bila), hands folded, performing austere worship of Guha in dim lamplight, with signs of fasting and restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Guha (Skanda/Kārttikeya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Access to sacred paths is linked to tapas and devotion—self-restraint becomes the key to divine assistance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the cave-route (bila) leading onward from the Kedāra-region sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship Guha (Skanda) while observing a severe fast: niranna (no food) and nirudaka (no water).