Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

पुरा तपस्यतः शंभोर्दाक्षायण्या वियोगतः । भालस्थलात्पपातैकः स्वेदबिंदुर्महीतले

Transliteration

purā tapasyataḥ śaṃbhordākṣāyaṇyā viyogataḥ | bhālasthalātpapātaikaḥ svedabiṃdurmahītale

Translation

Autrefois, tandis que Śambhu accomplissait l’ascèse, séparé de Dākṣāyaṇī, une unique goutte de sueur tomba de son front sur la surface de la terre.

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time: formerly)

• तपस्यतः: of (him) performing penance
• तपस्यतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अर्थतः—तपस्यतः (genitive of the one doing penance)

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• दाक्षायण्याः: of Dākṣāyaṇī (Satī)
• दाक्षायण्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाक्षायणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• वियोगतः: from separation/because of separation
• वियोगतः: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वियोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative/5th), एकवचनम्

• भालस्थलात्: from the forehead-surface
• भालस्थलात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाल + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भालस्य स्थलम्)

• पपात: fell
• पपात: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• एकः: single/one
• एकः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• स्वेदबिन्दुः: a drop of sweat
• स्वेदबिन्दुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वेद + बिन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्वेदस्य बिन्दुः)

• महीतले: on the earth’s surface
• महीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महेः तलम्)

Speaker

Śiva-gaṇas (attendants of Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Lohitāṅga narrative seed-event (bindu on earth)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śivaśarman

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva sits in intense austerity, eyes half-closed, the pain of separation palpable; a single luminous sweat-drop falls from his forehead onto the earth, which glows as it receives it.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Dākṣāyaṇī (Satī)
• Mahī (Earth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the Lord’s austerity becomes a source of sacred manifestation; divine sorrow and tapas are transformed into grace for the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The account supports the Kāśī/Avimukta māhātmya by grounding it in a Śaiva origin narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; austerity (tapas) is referenced as the spiritual backdrop.