Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

एकवृक्षश्च वृक्षेषु करालवदनो निशि । घण्टारवो गुहावासी पद्मखंजो जले स्थितः

Transliteration

ekavṛkṣaśca vṛkṣeṣu karālavadano niśi | ghaṇṭāravo guhāvāsī padmakhaṃjo jale sthitaḥ

Translation

एकवृक्षश्च वृक्षेषु करालवदनो निशि । घण्टारवो गुहावासी पद्मखञ्जो जले स्थितः ॥

Word by Word

• एकवृक्षः: Ekavṛkṣa (name; ‘single tree’)
• एकवृक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (एकः वृक्षः / एकवृक्ष-नाम)

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

• वृक्षेषु: among/in trees
• वृक्षेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• करालवदनः: Karālavādana (terrible-faced; name)
• करालवदनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कराल + वदन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (terrible-faced)

• निशि: at night
• निशि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (वैकल्पिक रूप)

• घण्टारवः: Ghaṇṭārava (bell-sound; name)
• घण्टारवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घण्टा + रव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (घण्टायाः रवः)

• गुहावासी: cave-dweller (name/epithet)
• गुहावासी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गुहायां वासी)

• पद्मखंजः: Padmakhañja (name)
• पद्मखंजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म + खंज (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (lotus-limp/lotus-like; epithet)

• जले: in water
• जले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्थितः: standing, stationed
• स्थितः: Karta (Predicate/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guhā (cave) / Jala-tīrtha (waters) / Vṛkṣa-sthala (sacred tree spot)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A continuous landscape: a solitary sacred tree (Ekavṛkṣa) glowing; a night scene with Karālavadana looming yet protective; a cave mouth resonating like a bell (Ghaṇṭārava); and lotus-filled waters where Padmakhaṃja stands amid blooms.

Characters & Entities

• Ekavṛkṣa
• Karālavadana
• Ghaṇṭārava
• Padmakhaṃja

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Every landscape of pilgrimage—tree-groves, night paths, caves, and waters—has sanctified protection within Śaiva dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is typological (by habitat) rather than naming one tirtha; it supports sacred travel through varied terrains.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Place-based remembrance of the guardian-name when entering groves, traveling at night, visiting caves, or approaching water.