Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

पश्यध्वं मे बलं बाह्वोर्देव्याराधनसंभवम् । माहात्म्यं गुप्तक्षेत्रस्य तथा भक्तिं च पांडुषु

Transliteration

paśyadhvaṃ me balaṃ bāhvordevyārādhanasaṃbhavam | māhātmyaṃ guptakṣetrasya tathā bhaktiṃ ca pāṃḍuṣu

Translation

且看我双臂之力，乃由礼敬女神（Devī）而生；亦当观见隐秘圣地古普塔克舍特拉的伟大，以及我对般度诸子的虔敬（bhakti）。

Word by Word

• paśyadhvam: see/behold
• paśyadhvam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्/Imperative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Madhyama-puruṣa (मध्यमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• me: my/of me
• me: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); enclitic pronoun

• balam: strength
• balam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• bāhvoḥ: of (my) two arms
• bāhvoḥ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive/Locative (6th/7th-षष्ठी/सप्तमी), Dual (द्विवचन)

• devī-ārādhana-saṃbhavam: arisen from worship of the Goddess
• devī-ārādhana-saṃbhavam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक) + ārādhana (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समास: देव्याः आराधनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + (देव्याः आराधनात् सम्भवम्) (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष-अर्थ)

• māhātmyam: greatness/glory
• māhātmyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• gupta-kṣetrasya: of the hidden/secret sacred place
• gupta-kṣetrasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gupta (√gup + kta, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); समास: गुप्तं क्षेत्रम् (कर्मधारय)

• tathā: also/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण): 'also/likewise'

• bhaktim: devotion
• bhaktim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• pāṇḍuṣu: towards/in the Pāṇḍavas
• pāṇḍuṣu: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇḍu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Warrior-speaker within the narrative (Bhīma implied); framed by Sūta’s narration

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guptakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The hero flexes or raises his arms, radiating Devī’s grace; behind him, a subtle Devī presence (lion/halo) and a hidden sacred landscape indicating Guptakṣetra; Pāṇḍavas suggested as revered figures.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Guptakṣetra
• Pāṇḍu
• Pāṇḍavas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion and worship at a powerful tīrtha transform the devotee—granting strength, clarity of purpose, and dharmic loyalty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Guptakṣetra is explicitly praised for its māhātmya (spiritual greatness).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devī-ārādhana (worship of the Goddess) is highlighted as the source of spiritual power, though no step-by-step rite is detailed.