Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तो महादेवस्तेन भूतेन भारत । योगीन्द्रं दर्शयामास नखमांसान्तरे तदा

Transliteration

evamukto mahādevastena bhūtena bhārata | yogīndraṃ darśayāmāsa nakhamāṃsāntare tadā

Translation

یوں اُس بھوت کے کہنے پر، اے بھارت، مہادیو نے تب یوگیوں کے سردار کو ظاہر کر دیا، جو ناخن اور گوشت کے بیچ میں ٹھہرا ہوا دکھائی دیتا تھا۔

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• उक्तः: having been addressed
• उक्तः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva
• महादेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भूतेन: by the spirit/being
• भूतेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• योगीन्द्रम्: the lord of yogis
• योगीन्द्रम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: योगिनाम् इन्द्रः (lord of yogis)

• दर्शयामास: showed
• दर्शयामास: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative) = caused to be seen/showed

• नखमांसान्तरे: in the space between nail and flesh
• नखमांसान्तरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख + मांस + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb: then)

Speaker

Narrator (implied Vaiśampāyana) to Yudhiṣṭhira

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra – Śiva-ālaya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (as addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahādeva, calm and sovereign, gestures to reveal the yogin lodged between nail and flesh; the concealed figure becomes visible to all as the sanctum light intensifies.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• bhūta (spirit-being)
• Yogīndra (sage/yogin)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s knowledge penetrates what is hidden; divine grace can disclose and safeguard even those in the most subtle, concealed states.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā sacred landscape frames the episode in the Revā Khaṇḍa, though the verse highlights a miracle rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative depiction of revelation and protection.