Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

ततो गिरिसुताकण्ठे क्षिप्तबाहुर्महेश्वरः । तपसस्तु विशेषार्थं नर्म देवीं किलाब्रवीत्

Transliteration

tato girisutākaṇṭhe kṣiptabāhurmaheśvaraḥ | tapasastu viśeṣārthaṃ narma devīṃ kilābravīt

Translation

Then Maheśvara, placing his arm around the neck of the mountain-born Goddess, spoke to Devī in a playful manner—yet with the aim of indicating the special purpose of tapas, austerity.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रम/अनन्तर्य-बोधक (adverb)

• गिरिसुताकण्ठे: on the mountain-daughter’s neck
• गिरिसुताकण्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिसुता (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गिरिसुतायाः कण्ठः), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• क्षिप्तबाहुः: having thrown/placed (his) arms (around)
• क्षिप्तबाहुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षिप्त (कृदन्त, क्षिप्-धातु) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (क्षिप्तौ बाहू यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; महेश्वरस्य विशेषणम्

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेष-प्रदर्शक (particle)

• विशेषार्थम्: for a special purpose
• विशेषार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-भाव (विशेषः एव अर्थः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे

• नर्म: a jest, playful talk
• नर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• देवीम्: the Goddess (Pārvatī)
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रसिद्धि/श्रुति-सूचक (quotative particle)

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva draws Pārvatī close, arm around her neck/shoulder, speaking playfully yet meaningfully; the visual tension is between tenderness and the gravity of tapas.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Girisutā (Pārvatī/Devī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas is not mere hardship; it is purposeful discipline, guided by divine wisdom and right intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it sets up a teaching about tapas within the Śiva-Pārvatī narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is referenced generally; no particular vrata or procedure is detailed in this line.