Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

एवं विलोकमानोऽसौ नारदो भगवानृषिः । त्वरितेन तथा यातः शिवालोकनतत्परः

Transliteration

evaṃ vilokamāno'sau nārado bhagavānṛṣiḥ | tvaritena tathā yātaḥ śivālokanatatparaḥ

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ നിരീക്ഷിച്ച ഭഗവാൻ ഋഷി നാരദൻ, ശിവദർശനത്തിലേയ്ക്ക് മാത്രം മനസ്സു നിശ്ചയിച്ച് വേഗത്തിൽ മുന്നോട്ട് പോയി.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of manner)

• विलोकमानः: looking, observing
• विलोकमानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लोक् (धातु) + शानच्/शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (active)

• असौ: that (he)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भगवान्: venerable, divine
• भगवान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• ऋषिः: sage
• ऋषिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• त्वरितेन: quickly, with haste
• त्वरितेन: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्वरित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण from त्वर्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे); तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-भावे क्रियाविशेषणवत् (instrumental used adverbially: 'quickly')

• तथा: in that manner, likewise
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb)

• यातः: went
• यातः: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकाले कृदन्तः (past passive participle used actively); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शिवालोकनतत्परः: intent on seeing Śiva
• शिवालोकनतत्परः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आलोकन (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासभावः): 'शिवस्य आलोकने तत्परः'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deductive)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada, vīṇā in hand, hastens along a Himalayan path toward a Śiva-sanctum, eyes fixed ahead with devotional urgency; distant temple silhouette amid snow peaks and cedar forests.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True pilgrimage culminates in darśana—single-minded yearning for Śiva surpasses fascination with wonders.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra kṣetra, where Śiva’s presence is the central goal of the journey.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the emphasis is on inner intention—eagerness for Śiva-darśana.