Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

ततो गिरिसुताकण्ठे क्षिप्तबाहुर्महेश्वरः । तपसस्तु विशेषार्थं नर्म देवीं किलाब्रवीत्

Transliteration

tato girisutākaṇṭhe kṣiptabāhurmaheśvaraḥ | tapasastu viśeṣārthaṃ narma devīṃ kilābravīt

Translation

ثم إنّ مهايشڤرا وضع ذراعه حول عنق الإلهة المولودة من الجبل، وخاطب ديفي بكلامٍ مازح، غير أنّه قصد به الإشارة إلى الغاية الخاصة من التَّبَس (الزهد والرياضة الروحية).

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रम/अनन्तर्य-बोधक (adverb)

• गिरिसुताकण्ठे: on the mountain-daughter’s neck
• गिरिसुताकण्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिसुता (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गिरिसुतायाः कण्ठः), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• क्षिप्तबाहुः: having thrown/placed (his) arms (around)
• क्षिप्तबाहुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षिप्त (कृदन्त, क्षिप्-धातु) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (क्षिप्तौ बाहू यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; महेश्वरस्य विशेषणम्

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेष-प्रदर्शक (particle)

• विशेषार्थम्: for a special purpose
• विशेषार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-भाव (विशेषः एव अर्थः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे

• नर्म: a jest, playful talk
• नर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• देवीम्: the Goddess (Pārvatī)
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रसिद्धि/श्रुति-सूचक (quotative particle)

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva draws Pārvatī close, arm around her neck/shoulder, speaking playfully yet meaningfully; the visual tension is between tenderness and the gravity of tapas.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Girisutā (Pārvatī/Devī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas is not mere hardship; it is purposeful discipline, guided by divine wisdom and right intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it sets up a teaching about tapas within the Śiva-Pārvatī narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is referenced generally; no particular vrata or procedure is detailed in this line.