Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

शर्वलब्धवरो दैवात्पुनस्तेपे महत्तपः । रम्ये सरस्वतीतीरे तरणाय भवार्णवात्

Transliteration

śarvalabdhavaro daivātpunastepe mahattapaḥ | ramye sarasvatītīre taraṇāya bhavārṇavāt

Translation

Nachdem er durch Fügung des Schicksals eine Gabe von Śarva (Śiva) erlangt hatte, nahm er erneut große Askese auf am lieblichen Ufer der Sarasvatī, um den Ozean des weltlichen Werdens zu überqueren.

Word by Word

• शर्वलब्धवरः: he who obtained a boon from Śarva (Śiva)
• शर्वलब्धवरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व + लब्ध + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: शर्व-लब्ध-वर (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-सम्भव); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दैवात्: by fate
• दैवात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभाव (ablatival adverb): हेतु/निमित्तार्थे (by fate/from destiny)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• तेपे: performed austerity
• तेपे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (तपः-विशेषण), द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• रम्ये: beautiful
• रम्ये: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तीरे)

• सरस्वतीतीरे: on the bank of the Sarasvatī
• सरस्वतीतीरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती + तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: सरस्वती-तीर (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तरणाय: for crossing
• तरणाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• भवार्णवात्: from the ocean of worldly existence
• भवार्णवात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव + अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: भव-अर्णव (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta continuing the account)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarasvatī-tīra (general)

Type: riverbank/ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Lohāsura performs fierce austerities on a beautiful Sarasvatī bank—still waters, reeds, hermitage trees—seeking to cross saṃsāra.

Characters & Entities

• Śarva (Śiva)
• Sarasvatī (river)
• Lohāsura (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas performed at sacred riverbanks is portrayed as a means toward liberation—crossing the ‘bhavārṇava’—though inner intent remains crucial.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Sarasvatī riverbank (Sarasvatī-tīra) is presented as a spiritually potent setting for austerity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Great tapas (austerity) is the practice emphasized; no specific vrata or dāna is detailed in this verse.