Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

लोमश उवाच । गिरिजा हि तदा देवी तताप परमं तपः । तपसा तेन रुद्रोऽपि उत्तमं भयमागतः

Transliteration

lomaśa uvāca | girijā hi tadā devī tatāpa paramaṃ tapaḥ | tapasā tena rudro'pi uttamaṃ bhayamāgataḥ

Translation

Lomaśa sprach: Damals vollzog die Göttin Girijā wahrlich die höchste Askese. Durch jene Askese wurde selbst Rudra von großer Besorgnis ergriffen.

Word by Word

• लोमशः: Lomaśa (sage)
• लोमशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोमश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्णभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Perfect, 3rd person singular)

• गिरिजा: Girijā (Pārvatī)
• गिरिजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि + जा (प्रातिपदिक); गिरिजा (समस्तपद)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (daughter of the mountain)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तताप: performed austerity
• तताप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Perfect, 3rd person singular)

• परमम्: supreme/great
• परमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

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

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (by that)

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• उत्तमम्: great/supreme
• उत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• आगतः: came to/was seized by
• आगतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तरि-भाव (past participle used predicatively: having come/attained)

Speaker

Lomaśa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra region (contextual)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pārvatī (Girijā) stands in severe austerity amid Himalayan cold—still, radiant, surrounded by snow and ascetic fires; even Rudra is shown thoughtful, concerned, observing from afar.

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Girijā (Pārvatī)
• Rudra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere and supreme tapas has cosmic power—so potent that it compels divine attention and response.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative belongs to Kedārakhaṇḍa, connecting Himalayan Kedāra traditions with Pārvatī’s austerities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is highlighted as a discipline, though no specific vrata or procedure is detailed in this verse.