Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

लोकपाला जितास्तेन प्रतापेन तपस्विना । ब्रह्मापि विजितो येन तपसा परमेण हि

Transliteration

lokapālā jitāstena pratāpena tapasvinā | brahmāpi vijito yena tapasā parameṇa hi

Translation

Durch Glanz und Macht jenes Asketen wurden die Hüter der Welten besiegt; ja, selbst Brahmā wurde durch seine höchste Askese überwältigt.

Word by Word

• लोकपालाः: guardians of the worlds
• लोकपालाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकानां पालाः) — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जिताः: conquered
• जिताः: Karma (Object complement/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जित (कृदन्त; √जि धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि — Past participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural; 'conquered'

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — Instrumental Singular

• प्रतापेन: by (his) might
• प्रतापेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रताप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तपस्विना: by the ascetic
• तपस्विना: Karana (Instrument/Agent descriptor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• विजितः: defeated
• विजितः: Karma (Object complement/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विजित (कृदन्त; √जि धातु, वि-उपसर्ग)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि — Past participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular; 'defeated'

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — Instrumental Singular (relative pronoun)

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

• परमेण: supreme
• परमेण: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (तपसा) — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular; adjective agreeing with 'tapasā'

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāvaṇa as a blazing ascetic-king radiates tejas; the Lokapālas appear subdued—Indra, Yama, Varuṇa, Kubera—while Brahmā’s lotus-seat presence is shown yielding under the heat of tapas.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Lokapālas (Dikpālas)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas is a tremendous force, but dharmic restraint is necessary so spiritual power does not become domination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s broader mahatmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.