Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

व्रतव्याजेन देवेशो विवेश तदनन्तरम् । चिन्तयामास तत्रस्थो गंगां त्रैलोक्यपाविनीम्

Transliteration

vratavyājena deveśo viveśa tadanantaram | cintayāmāsa tatrastho gaṃgāṃ trailokyapāvinīm

Translation

Darauf trat der Herr der Götter unter dem Vorwand, ein Gelübde (vrata) zu halten, ins Wasser. Dort verweilend, begann er Gaṅgā zu betrachten, die Reinigerin der drei Welten.

Word by Word

• व्रतव्याजेन: by the pretext of a vow
• व्रतव्याजेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (व्रतस्य व्याजेन)

• देवेशः: Lord of the gods
• देवेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् ईशः)

• विवेश: entered
• विवेश: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः—वि

• तत्: then
• तत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverbial accusative: 'then/thereupon')

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb: immediately after)

• चिन्तयामास: he contemplated/meditated
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Periphrastic Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तत्रस्थः: being there, stationed there
• तत्रस्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय) + स्थ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (तत्र + स्थः = 'there-situated')

• गङ्गाम्: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्रैलोक्यपाविनीम्: purifier of the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यपाविनीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पाविनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (त्रैलोक्यस्य पाविनी)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa continuing the Arbuda narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda su-tīrtha (kunda) where Gaṅgā is contemplated

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva steps into the clear waters as if for a vow, then becomes still in contemplation; the water glows subtly as Gaṅgā is invoked mentally.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Deveśa)
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when a vow is outwardly framed as a practice, its inner power lies in focused remembrance of the sacred (here, Gaṅgā as purifier of the worlds).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode is situated in Arbuda-khaṇḍa (Mount Arbuda region) while invoking Gaṅgā as the universal tīrtha and sanctifying presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A vrata is implied, along with entering/remaining in water (jalasthiti) as an ascetic observance.