Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

किं च ते तपसा कार्यमात्मानं शोच्यसे कथम्

Transliteration

kiṃ ca te tapasā kāryamātmānaṃ śocyase katham

Translation

«Et quel besoin as-tu d’austérité ? Pourquoi t’attristes-tu pour toi-même ?»

Word by Word

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/Complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• च: and/also
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनुबन्ध-अव्यय (connector)

• ते: for you/to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• कार्यम्: need/purpose
• कार्यम्: Karma (Thing needed/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय (predicate noun)

• आत्मानम्: yourself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शोच्यसे: you grieve/you lament
• शोच्यसे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

Speaker

Vipras (disguised Devas, per later revelation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame typical)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa steps forward, concern on his face, asking why such a beautiful, auspicious woman would need austerity or feel sorrow; Anasūyā remains composed, hinting at deeper narrative reasons.

Characters & Entities

• Vipras (Brahmin sages)
• Anasūyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: even the virtuous are questioned about their motivations, inviting reflection on the purpose of tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is mentioned in this line; it remains within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a direct question about the necessity and motive of austerity.