Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

दुःखपारमपश्यंती प्राणांस्त्यक्तुं व्यवस्थिता । पुत्रं मे घोरदुःखस्य तारकं देहि चेत्कृपा

Transliteration

duḥkhapāramapaśyaṃtī prāṇāṃstyaktuṃ vyavasthitā | putraṃ me ghoraduḥkhasya tārakaṃ dehi cetkṛpā

Translation

Seeing no far shore to this ocean of sorrow, I am resolved to give up my life. If you have compassion, grant me a son—one who will carry me across this terrible grief.

Word by Word

• दुःखपारम्: the far shore/end of sorrow
• दुःखपारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख-पार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (दुःखस्य पारम्)

• अपश्यन्ती: not seeing
• अपश्यन्ती: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पश् (धातु) → पश्यन्त् (कृदन्त; शतृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वर्तमानकालिक-कर्तरि-शतृ; ‘not seeing’

• प्राणान्: life-breaths, life
• प्राणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• त्यक्तुम्: to abandon, to give up
• त्यक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (infinitive)

• व्यवस्थिता: resolved, determined
• व्यवस्थिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-अव-√स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘resolved/standing ready’

• पुत्रम्: a son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• घोरदुःखस्य: of terrible sorrow
• घोरदुःखस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घोर-दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (घोरं दुःखम्)

• तारकम्: a deliverer, savior
• तारकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (पुत्रम्)

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• कृपा: compassion, mercy
• कृपा: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वाक्ये ‘यदि कृपा (अस्ति)’ इति भावः

Speaker

Varāṅgī

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Daityendra (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Varāṅgī at the edge of a symbolic dark ocean or in a desolate chamber, hands clasped, eyes uplifted; the ‘ocean of sorrow’ is visualized as waves behind her; a faint light signifies compassion and hope tied to the word ‘tāraka’.

Characters & Entities

• Varāṅgī
• Vajrāṅga (implied addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Purāṇic thought, hope is restored through compassionate response and dharmic support—here symbolized by the boon of progeny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is mentioned; the focus is on personal supplication.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse contains a boon-request rather than a vrata or tīrtha practice.