Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

तपोधनाः सर्वसमा वयं यद्यपि पार्वति । दुनोत्येव तवारंभः शूलायां यूपसत्क्रिया

Transliteration

tapodhanāḥ sarvasamā vayaṃ yadyapi pārvati | dunotyeva tavāraṃbhaḥ śūlāyāṃ yūpasatkriyā

Translation

Ô Pārvatī, bien que nous, ascètes, soyons égaux envers tous, ton entreprise nous trouble encore : ce « culte du poteau sacrificiel » dressé sur un trident.

Word by Word

• तपोधनाः: ascetics (whose wealth is austerity)
• तपोधनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तपः+धन)

• सर्वसमाः: all equal
• सर्वसमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वसम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (सर्वे समाः)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक-समुच्चय/उपपद (conditional particle)

• अपि: even/although
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (even/also)

• पार्वति: O Pārvatī
• पार्वति: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• दुनोति: afflicts/torments
• दुनोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक (indeed)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आरम्भः: undertaking/attempt
• आरम्भः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आरम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शूलायाम्: on the stake/spike
• शूलायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• यूपसत्क्रिया: the (proper) rite of the sacrificial post
• यूपसत्क्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूप + सत् + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (यूपे सत्क्रिया/यूपस्य सत्क्रिया)

Speaker

A brahmacārin critic (implied to be Śiva in disguise) addressing Pārvatī

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of severe tapasvins addresses Pārvatī, objecting to her startling ‘honouring’ of a yūpa-like rite performed upon a trident; the śūla stands as a stark, Śaiva counter-symbol to Vedic sacrificial decorum.

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī
• Śiva (implied)
• Śūla (trident)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine symbols may be criticized through conventional ritual categories; true understanding sees the sacred beyond sectarian frames.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A figurative reference to yūpa-satkriyā (honouring a sacrificial post), applied here to a trident; no direct injunction is given.