Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

क्षेत्रपालो वसेत्तत्र ढौण्ढेशो नाम नामतः । तस्य चाराधनं कृत्वा नारी वा पुरुषोऽपि वा

Transliteration

kṣetrapālo vasettatra ḍhauṇḍheśo nāma nāmataḥ | tasya cārādhanaṃ kṛtvā nārī vā puruṣo'pi vā

Translation

وہاں مقدّس احاطے کا نگہبان (کشیترپال) رہتا ہے، جس کا نام Ḍhauṇḍheśa مشہور ہے۔ اس کی عبادت کر کے، خواہ عورت ہو یا مرد—

Word by Word

• क्षेत्रपालः: the guardian of the field/region
• क्षेत्रपालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘क्षेत्रस्य पालः’)

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• ढौण्ढेशः: Ḍhauṇḍheśa (name)
• ढौण्ढेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ढौण्ढ + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नाम)

• नाम: named, called
• नाम: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक निपात (particle meaning ‘called/namely’)

• नामतः: by name, in name
• नामतः: Hetu/Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण (ablatival adverb)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• आराधनम्: worship, propitiation
• आराधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ-√राध् (धातु) + अन (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भाववाचक संज्ञा (verbal noun)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• नारी: a woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक निपात (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kurkurī-tīrtha (kṣetra with Ḍhauṇḍheśa-kṣetrapāla)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the entrance to a riverbank sacred precinct stands Ḍhauṇḍheśa, a fierce yet protective Śaiva guardian (kṣetrapāla), receiving offerings from pilgrims before they proceed inward.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrapāla
• Ḍhauṇḍheśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are protected by kṣetrapālas; honoring the guardian is part of proper dharmic approach to a tīrtha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kurkurī-tīrtha, specifically its resident kṣetrapāla named Ḍhauṇḍheśa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ārādhana (worship/propitiation) of the kṣetrapāla Ḍhauṇḍheśa, open to both women and men.