Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठाद्यैर्मुनिवरैस्तपश्चीर्णं पुरानघ । मनसोऽभीप्सितान्कामान्प्रापुरन्ये तपोधनाः

Transliteration

vasiṣṭhādyairmunivaraistapaścīrṇaṃ purānagha | manaso'bhīpsitānkāmānprāpuranye tapodhanāḥ

Translation

يا من لا إثم عليه، في الأزمنة السالفة مارس فَسِشْتَه وسائرُ كبارِ الحكماء التَّقشّفَ (تَبَس) هنا؛ ونال زُهّادٌ آخرون، أغنياءُ بالتَّبَس، ما اشتهته قلوبُهم من رغبات.

Word by Word

• वसिष्ठाद्यैः: by Vasiṣṭha and others
• वसिष्ठाद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—वसिष्ठः आदिः येषाम् (आदि-समासः/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः)

• मुनिवरैः: by the best sages
• मुनिवरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—मुनिषु वराः (सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चीर्णम्: was practised
• चीर्णम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तपः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्—'practised/performed'

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (Temporal/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: 'formerly')

• अनघ: O sinless one
• अनघ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण संबोधनम्

• मनसः: of the mind
• मनसः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अभीप्सितान्: desired
• अभीप्सितान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + ईप्सित (प्रातिपदिक; √आप्/ईप्स् भाव)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कामान् इति विशेषणम्—'desired'

• कामान्: wishes
• कामान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• प्रापुः: obtained
• प्रापुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तपोधनाः: those rich in austerity (ascetics)
• तपोधनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तपः धनं येषाम् (बहुव्रीहि)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Koṭitīrtha (tapas-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sinless one (anagha) addressed; context also includes address to Pārtha in adjacent verses

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vasiṣṭha and other ṛṣis sit in meditation near the ford under ancient trees; some stand in penance, others perform japa; a subtle aura indicates fulfilled intentions and siddhi.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Munis
• Tapas
• Koṭitīrtha (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas performed at a sanctified place becomes especially potent, enabling both worldly and spiritual fulfillments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha of this chapter—Koṭitīrtha and its environs—where sages are said to have undertaken austerities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity/penance) as the principal discipline associated with this sacred bank.