Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

शिवोद्देशं महाघोरमेकांगुष्ठेन भारत । उर्द्ध्वबाहुर्महातेजाः सूर्यस्याभिमुखोऽभवत्

Transliteration

śivoddeśaṃ mahāghoramekāṃguṣṭhena bhārata | urddhvabāhurmahātejāḥ sūryasyābhimukho'bhavat

Translation

O Bhārata, fixing his mind upon a most awe-inspiring aim—Śiva alone—he stood with arms raised, mighty in radiance, facing the Sun, balanced upon a single toe.

Word by Word

• शिव-उद्देशम्: a Śiva-shrine/spot dedicated to Śiva
• शिव-उद्देशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; शिवस्य उद्देशः (a place/spot of Śiva)

• महा-घोरम्: very terrible/awesome
• महा-घोरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिवोद्देशम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• एक-अङ्गुष्ठेन: with one thumb
• एक-अङ्गुष्ठेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; एकेन अङ्गुष्ठेन (with one thumb)

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• ऊर्ध्व-बाहुः: with arms raised upward
• ऊर्ध्व-बाहुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: ऊर्ध्वौ बाहू यस्य सः (one whose arms are raised)

• महा-तेजाः: of great splendor
• महा-तेजाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ऊर्ध्वबाहुः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सूर्यस्य: of the sun
• सूर्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अभिमुखः: facing
• अभिमुखः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (सूर्यस्य) अभिमुखः = facing (the sun)

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Vyāsa (continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya tapas-sthāna (Indra-sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (royal listener)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra stands on a single toe, arms raised, facing the blazing Sun; his gaze inward toward Śiva; heat shimmer and radiance around him; forest backdrop subdued by ascetic intensity.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Sūrya (Sun)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Single-pointed devotion to Śiva, expressed through endurance and restraint, is celebrated as transformative tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse describes the tapas performed in the Indrasara/Indreśvara area that establishes the site’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It depicts an austerity practice (standing on one toe, arms raised, facing the sun) as Indra’s penance, not a general prescription for all.