Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

यथा तिलस्थितं तैलं यथा दधिगतं घृतम् । तथैवाधिष्ठितं कृत्स्नं त्वया गुप्तेन वै जगत्

Transliteration

yathā tilasthitaṃ tailaṃ yathā dadhigataṃ ghṛtam | tathaivādhiṣṭhitaṃ kṛtsnaṃ tvayā guptena vai jagat

Translation

എള്ളിനുള്ളിൽ എണ്ണ മറഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നതുപോലെയും, തൈരിനുള്ളിൽ നെയ്യ് നിലകൊള്ളുന്നതുപോലെയും, അങ്ങനെ തന്നെ ഹേ ഗൂഢസ്വരൂപാ! ഈ സമസ്ത ജഗത്ത് നിനക്കാൽ വ്യാപ്തവും അധിഷ്ഠിതവും ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; upamā-vācaka (comparative particle)

• tila-sthitam: situated in sesame (seed)
• tila-sthitam: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक) + sthita (स्था धातु, क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; kta-participle used adjectivally; tatpuruṣa (locative/adhikaraṇa sense: ‘in sesame’ + ‘situated’)

• tailam: oil
• tailam: Upameya (Object of comparison/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; upamā-vācaka (comparative particle)

• dadhi-gatam: contained in curd
• dadhi-gatam: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dadhi (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (गम् धातु, क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; kta-participle used adjectivally; tatpuruṣa (locative/adhikaraṇa sense: ‘in curd’ + ‘gone/contained’)

• ghṛtam: ghee
• ghṛtam: Upameya (Object of comparison/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tathā: so, in the same way
• tathā: Sambandha (Correlative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; tathā-śabda (correlative adverb)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; avadhāraṇa-nipāta (emphatic particle)

• adhiṣṭhitam: presided over, pervaded
• adhiṣṭhitam: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhi-√sthā (स्था धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; kta-participle; ‘presided over/inhabited’

• kṛtsnam: entire
• kṛtsnam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; sarva-vācaka (meaning ‘entire’)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (Instrument/Agentive instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Second person pronoun; Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• guptena: hidden, protecting
• guptena: Visheshana (Qualifier of ‘tvayā’/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gupta (√gup रक्षणे, क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; kta-participle used adjectivally; agrees with tvayā (implicit ‘you who are hidden/protecting’)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; niścaya/avadhāraṇa-nipāta (assertive particle)

• jagat: the world
• jagat: Karma/Adheya (That which is pervaded/आधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Viśvāmitra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage offers a contemplative hymn: sesame pods and a curd-pot are shown as metaphors; behind them, a subtle cosmic form of the Lord pervades the three worlds, barely visible like a translucent aura.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Jagat (world)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine is inwardly present everywhere; pilgrimage and worship awaken awareness of that hidden, sustaining presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is a universal metaphysical statement used within a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter; it implies every sacred place reveals the same indwelling Lord.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it supports contemplative worship (inner dhyāna) alongside external tīrtha practices.