Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

गङ्गातटं समाश्रित्य चचार विपुलं तपः । अधोमुखोऽपि संस्थित्वापिबद्धूममहर्निशम्

Transliteration

gaṅgātaṭaṃ samāśritya cacāra vipulaṃ tapaḥ | adhomukho'pi saṃsthitvāpibaddhūmamaharniśam

Translation

S’étant établi sur la rive de la Gaṅgā, il accomplit une austérité immense ; même debout la tête en bas, il buvait de la fumée jour et nuit.

Word by Word

• गङ्गातटम्: the bank of the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गातटम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गातट (प्रातिपदिक; गङ्गा + तट)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative), एकवचन

• समाश्रित्य: having resorted to
• समाश्रित्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त/अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• चचार: practised, performed
• चचार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (अद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विपुलम्: great, extensive
• विपुलम्: Karma-anvayi visheshana (कर्मसम्बन्धि विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (कर्मरूपे)

• अधोमुखः: facing downward
• अधोमुखः: Karta-anvayi visheshana (कर्तृसम्बन्धि विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधोमुख (प्रातिपदिक; अधस् + मुख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपवाद/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• संस्थित्वा: having stood, having remained
• संस्थित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त/अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive)

• अपिबत्: drank
• अपिबत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (अद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धूमम्: smoke
• धूमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अहर्निशम्: day and night
• अहर्निशम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहर्निश (प्रातिपदिक; अहन् + निशा)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् नित्यसमास-प्रयोगः; कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: day and night)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā-taṭa (general)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a Gaṅgā riverbank, the asura performs extreme austerity: standing inverted (head down), surrounded by smoky fumes, day and night; river glints nearby, ascetics’ silhouettes in distance.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Kālapṛṣṭha (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇas distinguish between mere intensity of austerity and dhārmic intention; extreme tapas can be spiritually ambiguous without right purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the origin narrative leading to Luṅkeśvara tīrtha’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription for devotees; it describes an ascetic feat (tapas) performed by the Danava.