Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

यदा रुद्रोपहसिता तपस्तप्स्यति सा महत् । समाप्तनियमा देवी यदा चोग्रा भविष्यति

Transliteration

yadā rudropahasitā tapastapsyati sā mahat | samāptaniyamā devī yadā cogrā bhaviṣyati

Translation

When, mocked in connection with Rudra, she undertakes great austerity—when the Goddess completes her observances and becomes fierce in resolve…

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: “when”)

• रुद्र-उपहसिता: mocked by Rudra
• रुद्र-उपहसिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहसित (कृदन्त; √हस् (धातु) उपसर्ग-उप)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘उपहसित’—“mocked/laughed at”; तत्पुरुष-समासः (रुद्रेण उपहसिता)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• तप्स्यति: will perform austerity
• तप्स्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘तपः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• समाप्त-नियमा: having completed her observances
• समाप्त-नियमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाप्त (कृदन्त; √आप्/√अव्? here ‘सम्+आप्’ sense “completed”, adjectival) + नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (समाप्ताः नियमाः यस्याः/या) — “whose observances are completed/fulfilled”

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: “and”)

• उग्रा: fierce
• उग्रा: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘देवी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• भविष्यति: will become
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī, stung by ridicule connected with Rudra, begins a severe vrata—hair matted, body austere, eyes steady—signaling the completion of niyamas and the rise of fierce resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Devī (Pārvatī implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast tapas and disciplined vows transform insult into spiritual power and divine attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it sets up the Goddess’s Himalayan austerities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It mentions niyama (observances/vows) and tapas (austerity) in principle, without detailing a specific vrata procedure.