Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

तदोवाच जया रुद्रं तपसः कारणं परम्

Transliteration

tadovāca jayā rudraṃ tapasaḥ kāraṇaṃ param

Translation

Da sprach Jayā zu Rudra und verkündete den höchsten Grund ihres Tapas.

Word by Word

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

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

• जया: Jayā
• जया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (1st case/nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• रुद्रम्: to Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचन (singular)

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (qualifier) of "कारणम्"

Speaker

Jayā (to Śiva/Rudra in disguise)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied audience of the Purāṇic dialogue (traditionally sages/Śaunaka-group in Purāṇic frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Jayā, as a close attendant/companion, addresses Rudra with earnestness, revealing the supreme motive behind the austerity; the Himalayan setting suggests cold peaks, pine, and a secluded tapas-sthāna.

Characters & Entities

• Jayā
• Rudra
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas gains its true power when directed toward the supreme aim—union with the Divine and steadfast dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Kedārakhaṇḍa narrative framework tied to the Kedāra-Himālaya sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is detailed; it signals an explanation of the motive behind tapas.