Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

चांद्रायणैस्तथा कृच्छ्रैः पाराकैर्द्विजसत्तमाः । तथा मासोपवासैश्च तोषयामास शंकरम्

Transliteration

cāṃdrāyaṇaistathā kṛcchraiḥ pārākairdvijasattamāḥ | tathā māsopavāsaiśca toṣayāmāsa śaṃkaram

Translation

Durch Cāndrāyaṇa-Gelübde, durch strenge Kṛcchra- und Pārāka-Askesen und auch durch einmonatige Fasten übte der Beste unter den Zweimalgeborenen und erfreute Śaṅkara (Śiva).

Word by Word

• चांद्रायणैः: with Cāndrāyaṇa vows
• चांद्रायणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चांद्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगानुसार), तृतीया, बहुवचन; व्रत-विशेषः

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारार्थे (likewise)

• कृच्छ्रैः: with Kṛcchra penances
• कृच्छ्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; व्रत-विशेषाः

• पाराकैः: with Pārāka penances
• पाराकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाराक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; व्रत-विशेषाः

• द्विजसत्तमाः: the best Brahmins
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—द्विजानां सत्तमाः (best of the twice-born)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनः समुच्चयार्थे

• मासोपवासैः: with month-long fasts
• मासोपवासैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—मासस्य उपवासः (monthly fasts)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• तोषयामास: pleased; satisfied
• तोषयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative stem (णिच्) implied: toṣay- (caused to be pleased)

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator in Tīrthamāhātmya context; exact speaker not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A twice-born ascetic/devotee performs severe vratas—cāndrāyaṇa, kṛcchra, pārāka, and month-long fasts—directed toward pleasing Śaṅkara; imagery of restraint and endurance.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Cāndrāyaṇa
• Kṛcchra
• Pārāka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disciplined austerity, undertaken within dharma, is portrayed as a direct means to win Śiva’s satisfaction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The austerities are performed in the same sacred kṣetra (Camatkārapura) highlighted in this adhyāya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Cāndrāyaṇa, Kṛcchra, Pārāka penances, and māsopavāsa (month-long fasting) are explicitly named.