Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

तत्र पार्थ तपश्चक्रे निराहारा जितव्रता । कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रपाराकमहासांतपनादिभिः

Transliteration

tatra pārtha tapaścakre nirāhārā jitavratā | kṛcchrātikṛcchrapārākamahāsāṃtapanādibhiḥ

Translation

Là, ô fils de Pṛthā, elle entreprit des austérités : jeûnant, ferme dans ses vœux, elle pratiqua de rudes observances telles que Kṛcchra, Atikṛcchra, Pārāka et Mahāsāntapana.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• पार्थ: O Pārtha
• पार्थ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• चक्रे: performed
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• निराहारा: without food/fasting
• निराहारा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जितव्रता: steadfast in vows
• जितव्रता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘one whose vows are mastered/kept’ विशेषण

• कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रपाराकमहासांतपनादिभिः: by (various) severe penances such as kṛcchra etc.
• कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रपाराकमहासांतपनादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र + अतिकृच्छ्र + पाराक + महासांतपन + आदि (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (तपःप्रकार-समूह), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘by (means of) kṛcchra, atikṛcchra, pārāka, mahāsāṃtapana, etc.’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator addressing Yudhiṣṭhira/Arjuna as ‘Pārtha’)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā–Sāgara Saṅgama

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a sandy confluence bank, the woman sits in padmāsana on kusa grass, thin from fasting, surrounded by ritual implements (kamandalu, rudrākṣa), with the river meeting the sea behind her.

Characters & Entities

• Pārtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast vows and disciplined austerity are presented as a means of inner purification and divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting belongs to the Revā Khaṇḍa (Narmadā/Revā sacred region), though this verse emphasizes penance rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observance of classical expiatory vratas such as Kṛcchra, Atikṛcchra, Pārāka, and Mahāsāntapana, along with fasting.