Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

नंदिकेश्वरमध्यस्थो यावद्दृष्टो निजांतिके । शिवेन जगदीशेन भक्तवत्सलबंधुना

Transliteration

naṃdikeśvaramadhyastho yāvaddṛṣṭo nijāṃtike | śivena jagadīśena bhaktavatsalabaṃdhunā

Translation

നന്ദികേശ്വരന്റെ പരിധിയുടെ മദ്ധ്യത്തിൽ നിന്നിരുന്ന അവൻ അടുത്തെത്തിയപ്പോൾ തന്നെ, ജഗദീശനായ ശിവൻ—ഭക്തവത്സലബന്ധു—അവനെ കണ്ടു.

Word by Word

• नन्दिकेश्वरमध्यस्थः: standing in the midst of Nandikeśvara (i.e., in Nandikeśvara’s central area)
• नन्दिकेश्वरमध्यस्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नन्दिकेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्यस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (असौ/कालः)

• यावत्: as long as / while
• यावत्: Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालपरिमाणवाचक (temporal correlator)

• दृष्टः: was seen
• दृष्टः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (passive sense)

• निजान्तिके: near (them), in their vicinity
• निजान्तिके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरणम्

• शिवेन: by Śiva
• शिवेन: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्तृ-निर्देशक (agent in passive)

• जगदीशेन: by the Lord of the world
• जगदीशेन: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; शिवस्य विशेषणरूपेण

• भक्तवत्सलबन्धुना: by the friend/kinsman who is affectionate to devotees
• भक्तवत्सलबन्धुना: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; शिवस्य विशेषणरूपेण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Within Nandikeśvara’s precinct, Kāla is spotted near the Lord; Śiva, world-lord yet tender to devotees, turns his attention protectively—Nandin’s presence marking the sacred boundary.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Nandikeśvara (Nandin)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is depicted as bhaktavatsala—the intimate protector of devotees—whose watchfulness safeguards sacred space.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s Śiva-precinct, associated with Nandikeśvara, highlighting the sanctity of the dhāma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the focus is on Śiva’s protective grace within His holy enclosure.