Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 160

Devanagari script

गतेषु तेषु सर्वेषु सखीभिः परिवारिता । तत्रैव च तपस्तेपे परमार्था सती तदा

Transliteration

gateṣu teṣu sarveṣu sakhībhiḥ parivāritā | tatraiva ca tapastepe paramārthā satī tadā

Translation

Quand tous furent partis, elle—entourée de ses compagnes—accomplit l’austérité en ce lieu même. Alors Satī, la vertueuse, tendue vers le but suprême, s’y adonna.

Word by Word

• गतेषु: when (they) had gone / among those gone
• गतेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (गम्-धातु; कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक-विशेषणम् (gone)

• तेषु: among them
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), बहुवचनम्

• सर्वेषु: in all (of them)
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सखीभिः: by (her) female friends
• सखीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचनम्

• परिवारिता: surrounded
• परिवारिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिवारित (वृ-धातु with परि-उपसर्ग; कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः कर्मणि (surrounded)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्; कर्म

• तेपे: performed (austerity)
• तेपे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• परमार्था: intent on the highest goal
• परमार्था: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सती: Sati / the virtuous one
• सती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (अस्-धातु; कृदन्त/शतृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः वर्तमानकाले (being/virtuous woman; Sati)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Satī/Girijā remains at the spot after others depart, seated in austere posture, surrounded by a few sakhīs, the Himalayan landscape quiet and charged with ascetic power.

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī (Satī)
• Sakhīs (companions)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest aim (paramārtha) is pursued through sustained practice—tapas becomes the direct expression of devotion and purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate locale within Kedārakhaṇḍa—part of the Himalayan sacred sphere connected with Kedāra—is implied as the seat of her tapas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas is the core practice; no specific vrata-details are enumerated in this verse.