Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

हिमशैलस्य महिषी मेना आगाद्दिदृक्षया । अनुयाता दुहित्रा च स्वल्पाश्च परिचारिकाः

Transliteration

himaśailasya mahiṣī menā āgāddidṛkṣayā | anuyātā duhitrā ca svalpāśca paricārikāḥ

Translation

เมนา ราชินีแห่งหิมาลัย เสด็จมาด้วยความปรารถนาจะได้เฝ้าดู (ท่าน) นางมีธิดาติดตามมา และมีนางกำนัลเพียงไม่กี่คน

Word by Word

• हिमशैलस्य: of the हिमशैल (Himalaya)
• हिमशैलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमशैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—हिम + शैल (हिमयुक्तः शैलः)

• महिषी: queen/consort
• महिषी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मेना: Mena
• मेना: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• आगात्: came
• आगात्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• दिदृक्षया: with the desire to see
• दिदृक्षया: Hetu (Cause/Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिदृक्षा (प्रातिपदिक; √दृश् से सन्-इच्छार्थ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; हेतौ (for the purpose of seeing)

• अनुयाता: accompanied
• अनुयाता: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-√या (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अनुयाता’ = followed/attended

• दुहित्रा: by/with (her) daughter
• दुहित्रा: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुहितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

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

• स्वल्पाः: few
• स्वल्पाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• परिचारिकाः: maidservants/attendants
• परिचारिकाः: Karta (Co-subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिचारिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Himālaya-kṣetra (approach to a sacred assembly/abode)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Phālguna (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Menā, dignified yet humble, travels toward a sacred assembly with Pārvatī and a small group of attendants; Himalayan backdrop with pine forests and snow peaks; mood of anticipatory devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Himaśaila (Himālaya)
• Menā
• Daughter (unnamed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The longing for darśana (sacred seeing) draws even the great and noble toward holy persons and sanctified places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Himalayan sacred landscape (Himaśaila) is referenced, setting the scene for a Mahātmya-style encounter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates arrival for darśana with a small retinue.