Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

एतत्तपो जुषाणं तं महेशं हिमवान्ययौ । तत्पादपल्लवं द्रष्टुं पार्वत्या सह बुद्धिमान्

Transliteration

etattapo juṣāṇaṃ taṃ maheśaṃ himavānyayau | tatpādapallavaṃ draṣṭuṃ pārvatyā saha buddhimān

Translation

Als der Weise Himavān Maheśa (Śiva) in jener Askese versunken sah, trat er mit Pārvatī heran, um den zarten „Lotosspross“ Seiner Füße zu schauen.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तपः)

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

• जुषाणम्: engaged in, practicing
• जुषाणम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जुष् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तम् महेशम्)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महेशम्: Maheśa (Śiva)
• महेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘तम्’ इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन्

• हिमवान्: Himavān (Himālaya)
• हिमवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ययौ: went, approached
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तत्-पाद-पल्लवम्: the tender sprout-like feet (i.e., lotus-feet) of him
• तत्-पाद-पल्लवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्-पाद-पल्लव (प्रातिपदिक; तद् + पाद + पल्लव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थे (purpose)

• पार्वत्या: with Pārvatī
• पार्वत्या: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सहार्थे

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक उपपद (postposition)

• बुद्धिमान्: wise
• बुद्धिमान्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (हिमवान्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tapas-sthāna of Maheśa in Himavad-droṇī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Contextual) audience in Kedārakhaṇḍa frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Himavān, dignified and wise, approaches the meditating Śiva with young Pārvatī beside him; focus on Śiva’s lotus-like feet; gaṇas present but calm; the valley luminous with austerity.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Himavān
• Pārvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True wisdom culminates in darśana-bhakti—approaching the Lord with reverence for his feet.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Himālaya setting of Kedārakhaṇḍa, a sanctified terrain because of Śiva’s tapas and darśana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is stated; the implied practice is darśana and humble approach to the deity.