Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

विलोकयंती शंभुं तं यदर्थे परमं तपः । कृतं पुरा महादेव्या परेषां परमं महत्

Transliteration

vilokayaṃtī śaṃbhuṃ taṃ yadarthe paramaṃ tapaḥ | kṛtaṃ purā mahādevyā pareṣāṃ paramaṃ mahat

Translation

Sie schaute auf jenen Śambhu—um dessentwillen die Große Göttin einst die höchste Askese auf sich nahm, überaus gewaltig und allen anderen überlegen.

Word by Word

• vilokayantī: looking at
• vilokayantī: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifying Pārvatī)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-lok (लोक् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन (fem nom sg)

• śaṃbhum: Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (masc accusative sg)

• tam: him; that
• tam: Karma (कर्म) / Anaphoric (अनुवाद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (masc accusative sg)

• yat: for which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (neuter genitive sg) (in compound relation)

• arthe: for the sake (of)
• arthe: Prayojana/Adhikaraṇa (प्रयोजन/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (masc locative sg); समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (yad-arthe = 'for the sake of which')

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (neuter accusative sg)

• tapaḥ: austerity; penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म) (of 'kṛtam')
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• kṛtam: done; performed
• kṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया) (predicate: 'was done')
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• mahādevyā: by the Great Goddess
• mahādevyā: Karta (कर्ता) (agent of passive 'kṛtam')
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahādevī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन (fem instrumental sg)

• pareṣām: of others
• pareṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन (masc genitive pl)

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• mahat: great
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pārvatī gazes steadily at Śambhu, her look carrying the memory of immense past austerity undertaken solely for him; the moment is quiet, weighty, and fulfilled.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Mahādevī (Pārvatī)
• Tapaḥ (austerity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast tapas undertaken for the highest goal bears fruit—devotion disciplined by austerity culminates in divine union.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s sacred landscape, presented as the stage where Mahādevī’s tapas and Śiva’s grace converge.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse highlights tapas (austerity) as the spiritual means leading to auspicious fulfillment.