Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

व्रतप्रभावजैर्व्याप्तं तेजोभिर्भास्करं यथा । बाल्यात्प्रभृति चीर्णेन तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषम्

Transliteration

vrataprabhāvajairvyāptaṃ tejobhirbhāskaraṃ yathā | bālyātprabhṛti cīrṇena tapasā dagdhakilbiṣam

Translation

Er war von Glanz durchdrungen, geboren aus der Kraft seiner Gelübde, wie die Sonne; und durch die seit der Kindheit geübte Askese waren seine Sünden verbrannt.

Word by Word

• व्रत-प्रभाव-जैः: by (those) born of the power of vows
• व्रत-प्रभाव-जैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (born of the power of vows)

• व्याप्तम्: pervaded
• व्याप्तम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-आप् (धातु) → व्याप्त (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (pervaded)

• तेजोभिः: by radiances/energies
• तेजोभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• भास्करम्: the sun
• भास्करम्: Upameya (उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानवाचक/यथार्थ (as/just as)

• बाल्यात्: from childhood
• बाल्यात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• प्रभृति: since
• प्रभृति: Adhikarana/Time (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभृति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, आरम्भार्थ (since/from)

• चीर्णेन: by practised/performed
• चीर्णेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर् (धातु) → चीर्ण (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (practised/performed)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• दग्ध-किल्बिषम्: with sins burnt away
• दग्ध-किल्बिषम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दग्ध (कृदन्त-क्त) + किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (whose sins are burnt)

Speaker

Narrator (purāṇic narrator within Tīrthamāhātmya context; exact speaker not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage stands radiant like the sun, surrounded by a subtle aura; his posture is steady, eyes calm, suggesting sins burned by lifelong austerity.

Characters & Entities

• Bhāskara (Sūrya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vrata and sustained tapas generate spiritual tejas that purifies past impurities, portraying dharma as transformative discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the tīrtha setting is honored by hosting a tapasvin of such tejas; the verse itself focuses on the sage’s ascetic attainment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse commends vrata (vowed observances) and long-term tapas as purificatory disciplines, though without a specific procedure.