Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

स्थंडिलस्था च हेमंते निराहारा तताप सा । एतस्मिन्नंतरे दैत्यो ह्यंधकस्य सुतो बली

Transliteration

sthaṃḍilasthā ca hemaṃte nirāhārā tatāpa sā | etasminnaṃtare daityo hyaṃdhakasya suto balī

Translation

শীতকালে সে খালি মাটিতে বসে, নিরাহারে তপস্যা করল। সেই সময়ে অন্ধকের পুত্র, পরাক্রমশালী দৈত্য সেখানে উপস্থিত হল।

Word by Word

• स्थण्डिलस्था: standing on bare ground
• स्थण्डिलस्था: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थण्डिल (प्रातिपदिक) + स्था (धातु) → स्थ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (स्था-धातोः क्त/क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्तभावः), तत्पुरुषसमासः (स्थण्डिले स्थिता)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• हेमन्ते: in winter
• हेमन्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (locative singular)

• निराहारा: without food
• निराहारा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्- (उपसर्ग) + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (निराहारः = without food)

• तताप: performed austerity / did penance
• तताप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अन्तरे: in the meantime / in between
• अन्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (locative)

• दैत्यः: a demon
• दैत्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतुबोधक

• अन्धकस्य: of Andhaka
• अन्धकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (genitive)

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• बली: mighty
• बली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Winter austerity: Girisutā seated or lying on bare earth, minimal garments, matted hair, breath visible in cold air; distant shadow of a daitya approaching from the margins.

Characters & Entities

• Girisutā (Pārvatī, implied)
• Andhaka
• Daitya (son of Andhaka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity and purity invite tests; spiritual practice often coincides with the arising of obstacles.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha; the verse transitions from tapas-description to a daitya episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Fasting (nirāhāra) and ground-austerity (sthaṃḍila) during winter are described.