Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

स्वपतेर्जीवनार्थं वै गायत्री च सरस्वती । महादेवं समुद्दिश्य तप एवं प्रचक्रतुः

Transliteration

svapaterjīvanārthaṃ vai gāyatrī ca sarasvatī | mahādevaṃ samuddiśya tapa evaṃ pracakratuḥ

Translation

Um des Lebens ihres Herrn willen vollzogen Gāyatrī und Sarasvatī auf diese Weise Askese und richteten ihre Buße auf Mahādeva.

Word by Word

• स्वपतेः: of (their) husband
• स्वपतेः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• जीवन: life, living
• जीवन: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• अर्थम्: for the sake of (his) life
• अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: जीवन-अर्थम् (तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• गायत्री: Gāyatrī
• गायत्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सरस्वती: Sarasvatī
• सरस्वती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महान् + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: महा-देवम् (कर्मधारय); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समुद्दिश्य: having invoked/aimed at
• समुद्दिश्य: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having addressed/aimed at’

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

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रचक्रतुः: they performed/undertook
• प्रचक्रतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator continuing the Setukhaṇḍa account)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra (Setubandha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gāyatrī and Sarasvatī together in coordinated austerity, hands in japa-mudrā, facing an unseen Mahādeva; their intent is protective—prayer for their lord’s life—set against the Setu seashore or a forested hermitage near the coast.

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī
• Sarasvatī
• Mahādeva (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In संकट (crisis), turning to Mahādeva with disciplined tapas becomes a dharmic means of protection and restoration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setukhaṇḍa’s sacred landscape centers on Setu/Setubandha (Rāmeśvaram region), where Śiva’s responsiveness to devotion is celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) undertaken with a clear saṅkalpa (intention) directed to Śiva.