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

“Hang động nơi chính Maheśvara ngự trị—ấy chính là thánh cư xứ của ngươi.” Khi nàng nói như vậy, lời ấy đã ứng nghiệm nơi ta, hỡi Phālguna.

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.