Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

दर्शनान्मम भक्त्या च श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यसि । स्तंभतीर्थे च वत्स्येऽहं न विमोक्ष्यामि कर्हिचित्

Transliteration

darśanānmama bhaktyā ca śreyaḥ paramavāpsyasi | staṃbhatīrthe ca vatsye'haṃ na vimokṣyāmi karhicit

Translation

“因得我之达尔沙那（darśana）并以虔敬奉我，你将获得至上的福祉。且在柱圣渡口（Staṃbha-tīrtha），我将常住——永不舍离。”

Word by Word

• darśanāt: from (my) sight/vision
• darśanāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative/5th), एकवचनम्

• mama: of me/my
• mama: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction: and)

• śreyaḥ: the highest good
• śreyaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्; फलवाचकं पदम्

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (śreyaḥ-विशेषणम्)

• avāpsyasi: you will obtain
• avāpsyasi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-āp (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• staṃbha-tīrthe: at the Staṃbha-tīrtha
• staṃbha-tīrthe: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: staṃbha (प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (staṃbhasya tīrtham)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (and)

• vatsye: I will dwell
• vatsye: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुषः (1st), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation)

• vimokṣyāmi: I will release/abandon
• vimokṣyāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-muc (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुषः (1st), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• karhicit: ever/at any time
• karhicit: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: karhicit (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: ever/at any time)

Speaker

Hara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Staṃbha-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda/Guha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva promises salvific benefit through darśana and devotion and proclaims his perpetual residence at Staṃbha-tīrtha; the scene can show a sacred pillar/staṃbha near water, with Śiva’s presence radiating from the site as Skanda listens.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Staṃbha-tīrtha
• Skanda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Darśana and bhakti are declared sufficient for the highest welfare, and the tīrtha is sanctified by Śiva’s promise of perpetual presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Staṃbha-tīrtha is explicitly glorified as a place where Śiva vows to remain permanently.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (visiting/seeing the deity) and bhakti (devotional worship) are the emphasized practices; no detailed procedure is specified.