Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

गत्वा तत्र महादेवं तपश्चरणतत्परम् । क्षोभयध्वं यथान्यायं गङ्गासागरवासिनम्

Transliteration

gatvā tatra mahādevaṃ tapaścaraṇatatparam | kṣobhayadhvaṃ yathānyāyaṃ gaṅgāsāgaravāsinam

Translation

«Allez là-bas auprès de Mahādeva, tout entier voué à l’austérité, et—par des moyens convenables—troublez et ébranlez ce Seigneur qui demeure à Gaṅgā-sāgara.»

Word by Word

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: गम् (having gone)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् देवः)

• तपश्चरणतत्परम्: intent on practicing austerity
• तपश्चरणतत्परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् + चरण + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (तपश्चरणे तत्परः = intent on performing austerity) विशेषणम् (महादेवस्य)

• क्षोभयध्वम्: agitate/disturb (him)
• क्षोभयध्वम्: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: cause to be agitated)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Kriya-viseshana (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (as/in the manner)

• न्यायम्: according to propriety
• न्यायम्: Kriya-viseshana (Manner; idiomatic accusative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (यथान्यायम् = according to rule)

• गङ्गासागरवासिनम्: the dweller at Gaṅgā-sāgara
• गङ्गासागरवासिनम्: Karma (Object; apposition to महादेवम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा + सागर + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (गङ्गासागरे वासी = dweller at Gaṅgā-sāgara)

Speaker

Indra (Devarāja), by context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā-sāgara

Type: sangam

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial delegation departs toward the roaring sea-confluence: Śiva sits in deep meditation near the saṅgama, matted locks, ash-smeared body; waves and river currents meet as apsarās and Kāma approach with spring’s bloom.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva
• Indra
• Gaṅgā-sāgara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine powers may attempt to disrupt tapas; steadfast austerity is portrayed as supremely powerful and worthy of reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā-sāgara, presented as a sacred dwelling-place associated with Mahādeva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse highlights tapas (austerity) and the theme of testing spiritual resolve.