Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

तपोऽर्थं तत्र संसिद्धिर्जायतामचिराद्धि वः । शक्तिरूपां परां देवीं चंडिकां कामरूपिणीम्

Transliteration

tapo'rthaṃ tatra saṃsiddhirjāyatāmacirāddhi vaḥ | śaktirūpāṃ parāṃ devīṃ caṃḍikāṃ kāmarūpiṇīm

Translation

Um der Askese willen möge sich dort rasch Erfolg für euch einstellen. Verehrt die Höchste Göttin Caṇḍikā – Sie, die Śakti selbst ist und die nach Belieben Gestalt annimmt.

Word by Word

• तपः-अर्थम्: for (the purpose of) austerity
• तपः-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: तपसः अर्थः (for the sake of austerity)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• संसिद्धिः: success/accomplishment
• संसिद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जायताम्: let it arise/come to be
• जायताम्: Kriya (Injunctive wish/आशीः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अचिरात्: soon
• अचिरात्: Sambandha (Temporal adverb/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-प्रयोगे अव्ययीभाववत् (ablatival adverb): 'before long/soon'

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), कारण/निश्चय (indeed/for)

• वः: for you / to you
• वः: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Genitive/Dative), बहुवचन; एन्क्लिटिक (your/to you)

• शक्ति-रूपाम्: in the form of Śakti (power)
• शक्ति-रूपाम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः: शक्तिः एव रूपम् यस्याः (having the form of power)

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• देवीम्: the Goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चण्डिकाम्: Caṇḍikā
• चण्डिकाम्: Karma (Apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; देवी-विशेषनाम

• काम-रूपिणीम्: able to assume any form at will
• काम-रूपिणीम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः: कामरूपं धारयति (assuming forms at will)

Speaker

Bṛhaspati

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On Arbuda’s slopes, devas prepare for austerities; a visionary presence of Caṇḍikā appears—radiant, many-armed, embodying pure power, her form subtly shifting to signify kāmarūpatā.

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍikā (Devī)
• Śakti
• Arbuda (implied location)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True siddhi is attained through tapas aligned to the Supreme Śakti, who responds compassionately to sincere worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Arbuda setting, indicating Mount Arbuda as a place where swift spiritual accomplishment is attainable.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) and devotion to Caṇḍikā are prescribed as the means for rapid spiritual success.