Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

एकदा तु पुरा पार्थ सृष्टि कामेन ब्रह्मणा । तपः सुचरितं घोरं सार्धवर्षसहस्रकम्

Transliteration

ekadā tu purā pārtha sṛṣṭi kāmena brahmaṇā | tapaḥ sucaritaṃ ghoraṃ sārdhavarṣasahasrakam

Translation

Autrefois, ô Pārtha, Brahmā, désireux de faire naître la création, accomplit une austérité terrible et parfaitement observée durant mille ans et davantage.

Word by Word

• एकदा: once
• एकदा: Temporal adverb (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (once)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (but/indeed)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Temporal adverb (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (formerly)

• पार्थ: O Pārtha
• पार्थ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सृष्टि: creation
• सृष्टि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (कर्मधारय-भावे: creation as object of desire)

• कामेन: by desire
• कामेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• सुचरितम्: well-performed
• सुचरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + चरित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—सु चरितम् (कर्मधारय); तपः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• घोरम्: terrible/intense
• घोरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तपः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सार्धवर्षसहस्रकम्: (lasting) a thousand years and a half (i.e., 1500 years)
• सार्धवर्षसहस्रकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्ध + वर्ष + सहस्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—सार्धं वर्षसहस्रकम् (द्विगु/संख्यासमास-प्राय); तपः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmeśa-liṅga (origin prelude)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, four-faced, sits in intense austerity for ages, surrounded by a stark, primordial landscape; time is suggested through changing skies and cycles, while a future liṅga’s radiance is foreshadowed.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Pārtha (addressed)
• Brahmā
• Sṛṣṭi (creation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even cosmic functions like creation are preceded by tapas; disciplined austerity is portrayed as a source of divine attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha is not yet named in this verse; the narrative sets up the origin-story that culminates in Brahmasaras and the Brahmeśa Liṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is described as Brahmā’s practice; no specific lay-ritual is prescribed in this verse.