Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

कंदरं यस्य चाध्यास्ते स्वयं तव महेश्वरः । इत्युक्तवति वाक्यं च यथार्थं मयिफाल्गुन

Transliteration

kaṃdaraṃ yasya cādhyāste svayaṃ tava maheśvaraḥ | ityuktavati vākyaṃ ca yathārthaṃ mayiphālguna

Translation

“ถ้ำของผู้ใดที่พระมหेशวรประทับอยู่ด้วยพระองค์เอง—นั่นแลคือธรรมสถานอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ของท่านเอง” ครั้นนางกล่าวดังนี้ โอ้ฟาลคุนะ วาจานั้นก็เป็นจริงแก่ข้าพเจ้า

Word by Word

• कन्दरम्: cave
• कन्दरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• अध्यास्ते: sits upon/inhabits
• अध्यास्ते: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-√आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, स्वकृत्य/स्वतन्त्रार्थ (oneself)

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—महा + ईश्वर

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyārtha-sūcaka (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्तवति: when (she) had said
• उक्तवति: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु) + क्तवतु (कृत्)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘उक्तवत्’ (having said) — locative absolute with implied ‘तस्याम्’

• वाक्यम्: speech/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• यथार्थम्: truly/accurately
• यथार्थम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially)

• मयि: in me/with regard to me
• मयि: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• फाल्गुन: O Phalguna (Arjuna)
• फाल्गुन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल्गुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maheśvara-kandara (Śiva’s cavern)

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Phālguna (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee recalls a woman’s prophetic statement about Śiva dwelling in a cavern; the cave glows with liṅga-like radiance, suggesting the words ‘proved true’ as the pilgrim experiences divine presence.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Phālguna (Arjuna)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A place sanctified by Śiva’s presence becomes supremely holy; truthful praise (yathārtha) reveals spiritual reality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A Śiva-abiding mountain cavern is glorified, though the verse itself does not provide a distinct place-name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse emphasizes the sanctity of Śiva’s dwelling-place.