Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

तेन वै सुतपस्तप्तं दशवर्षशतानि हि । तस्य तुष्टोऽभवद्ब्रह्मा नियमेन दमेन च

Transliteration

tena vai sutapastaptaṃ daśavarṣaśatāni hi | tasya tuṣṭo'bhavadbrahmā niyamena damena ca

Translation

Il accomplit de rudes austérités durant mille années entières. Satisfait par ses observances et sa maîtrise de soi, Brahmā fut content de lui.

Word by Word

• तेन: by him / with that
• तेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सुतपः: severe austerity
• सुतपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तप्तम्: was performed / was undergone
• तप्तम्: Kriya (Verbal predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु) → तप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दशवर्षशतानि: hundreds of ten years (i.e., many centuries)
• दशवर्षशतानि: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time extent/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• हि: for / indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये अव्यय (causal/emphatic particle)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• तुष्टः: pleased
• तुष्टः: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष् (धातु) → तुष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नियमेन: by discipline / through observance
• नियमेन: Hetu/Karaṇa (Means/Cause/करण-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• दमेन: by self-control
• दमेन: Hetu/Karaṇa (Means/Cause/करण-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Devas (speaking to Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bāṇa performs fierce austerities for a thousand years—emaciated yet blazing with inner heat—while Brahmā appears, serene and radiant, acknowledging the power of discipline and restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Bāṇa
• Brahmā
• Devas
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas has real potency; discipline can yield cosmic results, but its fruits must be guided by dharma to avoid harm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is specified; the verse explains the backstory of the threat within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Austerity characterized by niyama (observances) and dama (self-control) is referenced, but no specific vow or rite is detailed.