Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

ततो वर्षशतं सार्धं फलाहारा बभूव सा । शीर्णपर्णाशना पश्चात्तावन्मात्रं व्यवस्थिता

Transliteration

tato varṣaśataṃ sārdhaṃ phalāhārā babhūva sā | śīrṇaparṇāśanā paścāttāvanmātraṃ vyavasthitā

Translation

Alors, durant cent cinquante ans, elle ne vécut que de fruits; ensuite, pendant un temps égal, elle se maintint en mangeant des feuilles tombées.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थान/कालवाचक (indeclinable adverb: ‘thereupon/then’)

• varṣaśatam: a hundred years
• varṣaśatam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘वर्षाणां शतम्’ (genitive-tatpuruṣa; 100 years)

• sārdham: and a half (more)
• sārdham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārdha (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (indeclinable: ‘with, plus, and a half’)

• phalāhārā: fruit-eating; living on fruits
• phalāhārā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक) + āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘फलम् आहारः यस्याः/या’ (tatpuruṣa; one whose food is fruit)

• babhūva: became
• babhūva: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śīrṇa: fallen, withered
• śīrṇa: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śṝ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); ‘शीर्ण’ = fallen/decayed; नपुंसक/पुं/स्त्री—समासे पूर्वपदत्वात् अव्यक्त

• parṇa: leaf
• parṇa: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासे पूर्वपद (leaf)

• aśanā: eating (subsisting on)
• aśanā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘अशन’ (eating/food-taking) — समासे उत्तरपद; (śīrṇa-parṇa-aśanā = leaf-eater)

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (indeclinable adverb: afterwards)

• tāvat: that much; for that long
• tāvat: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक (indeclinable: ‘so much/that long’)

• mātram: only; mere extent
• mātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक (measure/extent)

• vyavasthitā: remained, stayed
• vyavasthitā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + ava + sthā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त (past passive participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘स्थित’ = remained/was established

Speaker

Sūta (narrative continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijoत्तमाः (addressed audience: best of twice-born)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary maiden-ascetic in a forested tīrtha precinct, seated on kuśa grass, holding a small basket of fruits; nearby a heap of dry fallen leaves indicates the next stage of her vow. The atmosphere is still, with soft light and minimal movement.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic ideal of tapas is portrayed as extraordinary endurance and radical simplicity sustained over vast time.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues within the tīrtha-framework but highlights the ascetic’s diet and duration rather than naming a specific site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dietary austerities: phalāhāra (fruit-only) and śīrṇa-parṇa-āhāra (fallen-leaf diet) maintained for extended periods.