Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अस्त्युपायो महानत्र गन्धमादनपर्वते । मत्तश्चिरायुर्मित्रोस्ति गृध्रः प्राणसमः सुहृत्

Transliteration

astyupāyo mahānatra gandhamādanaparvate | mattaścirāyurmitrosti gṛdhraḥ prāṇasamaḥ suhṛt

Translation

“ที่นี่มีอุบายอันยิ่งใหญ่—ณ เขาคันธมาทนะ. ที่นั่นเรามีมิตรผู้มีอายุยืน คือแร้งหนึ่ง เป็นสหายผู้หวังดี อันเป็นที่รักดุจชีวิตของเราเอง”

Word by Word

• अस्ति: there is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उपायः: a means / plan
• उपायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (उपायस्य)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• गन्धमादनपर्वते: on Mount Gandhamādana
• गन्धमादनपर्वते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धमादन + पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गन्धमादनस्य पर्वतः)

• मत्तः: from me
• मत्तः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• चिरायुः: long-lived
• चिरायुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिर + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (चिरं आयुः यस्य) विशेषण (मित्रस्य)

• मित्रः: a friend
• मित्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गृध्रः: a vulture
• गृध्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राणसमः: equal to (one's) life
• प्राणसमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राण + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुषः (प्राणैः समः) विशेषण (सुहृदः/मित्रस्य)

• सुहृत्: a good friend
• सुहृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Ulūka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gandhamādana

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ulūka proposes a remedy: journey to Gandhamādana where a venerable vulture-friend resides, portrayed as wise and long-lived; the mountain looms as a sacred horizon.

Characters & Entities

• Ulūka
• Gandhamādana
• Gṛdhra (vulture friend)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hope and right counsel (upāya) arise through virtuous friendships and the guidance of the wise and experienced.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mount Gandhamādana is named as the significant sacred geography marker in the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse introduces a dharmic ‘means’ via a journey to Gandhamādana.