Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

हिमाचलस्य शिखरे चातुर्मास्ये समागते । ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतपरा वसनत्रयसंयुता

Transliteration

himācalasya śikhare cāturmāsye samāgate | brahmacaryavrataparā vasanatrayasaṃyutā

Translation

Quand vint la saison sacrée de Cāturmāsya, elle demeura au sommet de l’Himālaya : vouée au vœu de brahmacarya, revêtue de trois vêtements.

Word by Word

• हिमाचलस्य: of Himālaya (snow-mountain)
• हिमाचलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमाचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—हिम+अचल (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः), ‘हिमयुक्तः अचलः’

• शिखरे: on the peak
• शिखरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• चातुर्मास्ये: in the four-month period (cāturmāsya)
• चातुर्मास्ये: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्मास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• समागते: when (it) had arrived
• समागते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+आ+गम् (धातु) → समागत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘समागते (काले)’—locative absolute sense with चातुर्मास्ये

• ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतपरा: devoted to the vow of celibacy
• ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतपरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य+व्रत+पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतस्य परा (तत्पुरुष)

• वसनत्रयसंयुता: wearing three garments
• वसनत्रयसंयुता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वसन+त्रय+संयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—वसनत्रयेण संयुता (तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Narrator within Brahma–Nārada dialogue (attribution by section context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Himācala-śikhara (generic Himalayan peak)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary tapasvinī on a snow-bright Himalayan summit during Cāturmāsya, seated in meditation, simple triple garments, wind and clouds swirling, vow-strength evident.

Characters & Entities

• Himālaya (Himācala)
• Cāturmāsya
• Brahmacarya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity is strengthened by seasonal vows (Cāturmāsya) and brahmacarya maintained with simplicity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

While the chapter belongs to Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya, this verse situates the tapas on Himālaya’s summit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observance of Cāturmāsya with a brahmacarya-vrata and restrained living.