Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

अस्माकं कौतुकं जातं तापसेन व्रतेन यत् । स्वर्गमोक्षसुतस्यार्थे तपस्तपसि दुष्करम्

Transliteration

asmākaṃ kautukaṃ jātaṃ tāpasena vratena yat | svargamokṣasutasyārthe tapastapasi duṣkaram

Translation

“A curiosity has arisen in us about this ascetic vow of yours: for the sake of heaven, liberation (mokṣa), and a son, you undertake arduous tapas upon tapas.”

Word by Word

• अस्माकम्: of us/our
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कौतुकम्: curiosity/wonder
• कौतुकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जातम्: has arisen
• जातम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जात (कृदन्त; जन् धातोः क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृदन्त (past participle) — ‘has arisen’ (elliptic with अस्ति)

• तापसेन: ascetic
• तापसेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तापस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) व्रतेन

• व्रतेन: by the vow
• व्रतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• स्वर्गमोक्षसुतस्य: of (the) son connected with heaven and liberation
• स्वर्गमोक्षसुतस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग + मोक्ष + सुत (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular); समाहार/श्रृङ्खला-तत्पुरुषः (svarga-mokṣa-suta = son (granting) heaven and liberation / or ‘son named Svargamokṣa’)

• अर्थे: for the sake/purpose
• अर्थे: Adhikarana (Locus/Purpose-context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपसि: in austerity
• तपसि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दुष्करम्: difficult
• दुष्करम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण तपः-शब्दस्य

Speaker

Vipras (disguised Devas, per later revelation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tirtha-region (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame typical)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brāhmaṇas, intrigued, gesture in inquiry toward Anasūyā; the scene emphasizes questioning and the gravity of difficult austerities undertaken for multiple aims.

Characters & Entities

• Vipras (Brahmin sages)
• Anasūyā
• Svarga
• Mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma recognizes multiple aims—svarga, mokṣa, and progeny—often pursued through disciplined vows and sustained austerity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tirtha is identified in this verse; it continues the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse references a tāpasa-vrata (ascetic vow) and arduous tapas, without detailing a specific ritual procedure.