Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तपस्यंतं मुनिं तत्र राक्षसा घोररूपिणः । अबाधंत सदा विप्रास्तपोविघ्नैकतत्पराः

Transliteration

tapasyaṃtaṃ muniṃ tatra rākṣasā ghorarūpiṇaḥ | abādhaṃta sadā viprāstapovighnaikatatparāḥ

Translation

Là, tandis que le muni accomplissait son tapas, des rākṣasas à l’aspect effroyable le harcelaient sans cesse, ô brāhmaṇas, ne cherchant qu’à entraver sa pénitence.

Word by Word

• तपस्यन्तम्: doing austerity, practicing penance
• तपस्यन्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + √यम् (धातु) → तपस्यत् (कृदन्त; शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; ‘मुनिम्’ विशेषण

• मुनिम्: the sage
• मुनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of place)

• राक्षसाः: demons, rākṣasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• घोररूपिणः: of terrible form
• घोररूपिणः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘राक्षसाः’

• अबाधन्त: they harassed, troubled
• अबाधन्त: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ-√बाध् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of frequency)

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas / brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Sambodhana/Topic (Address/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (पाठे ‘विप्रास्तपो…’ इति संधिः)

• तपोविघ्नैकतत्पराः: solely intent on hindering the austerity
• तपोविघ्नैकतत्पराः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुपद-समासः—‘तपसः विघ्ने एकतत्पराः’ (solely intent on obstructing penance); विशेषण—‘राक्षसाः’

Speaker

Sūta (narrator)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: विप्राः / ब्राह्मणाः (direct address)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night falls on the mountain hermitage; grotesque rākṣasas emerge from shadows, roaring and hurling threats, while the sage remains unmoved in meditation, surrounded by a faint protective aura.

Characters & Entities

• Ahirbudhnya
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual practice may attract opposition; perseverance in dharma is a key Puranic ideal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode is part of the Setu Māhātmya that culminates in the sanctity of Cakratīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; it emphasizes the integrity of tapas against disruptions.