Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

रम्ये तत्र महाशृंगे नानाश्चर्योपशोभिते । विभूषणादि संन्यस्य वृक्षवल्कलधारिणी

Transliteration

ramye tatra mahāśṛṃge nānāścaryopaśobhite | vibhūṣaṇādi saṃnyasya vṛkṣavalkaladhāriṇī

Translation

Là, sur un grand sommet charmant, embelli de mille merveilles, elle renonça aux parures et au reste, et revêtit des vêtements d’écorce d’arbre.

Word by Word

• रम्ये: in the beautiful (place)
• रम्ये: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (महाशृङ्गे इत्यस्य)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Place adjunct/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक adverb)

• महाशृङ्गे: on the great peak
• महाशृङ्गे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—महच्च तत् शृङ्गम्

• नाना: various
• नाना: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विविधताबोधक; ‘many/various’)

• आश्चर्योपशोभिते: adorned with wonders
• आश्चर्योपशोभिते: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of location/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आश्चर्य + उपशोभित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √शुभ् with उप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—आश्चर्यैः उपशोभितम् (adorned by wonders)

• विभूषणादि: ornaments and the like
• विभूषणादि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूषण + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (समूहवाचक); तत्पुरुषः—विभूषणं च आदि च (etc.)

• संन्यस्य: having set aside
• संन्यस्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + नि + अस् (धातु) → संन्यस्य (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having laid aside/renounced’

• वृक्षवल्कलधारिणी: (she) wearing tree-bark garments
• वृक्षवल्कलधारिणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष + वल्कल + धारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—वृक्षस्य वल्कलं धारयति इति (one who wears bark)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahāśṛṅga (Tapas-śikhara)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a beautiful wondrous peak, the Devī lays aside ornaments and dons bark garments—an iconic transformation from queenly splendor to ascetic radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Pārvatī, implied)
• Mahāśṛṅga (great peak)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Renunciation (tyāga) is expressed outwardly by simplicity, supporting inward concentration for tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific named site; the verse highlights the sanctity of the mountain-peak as an ascetic landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Adopting austere dress and abandoning adornments—an ascetic discipline associated with vrata and tapas.