Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

ततस्त्वाराधयामास महादेवं सुरेश्वरम् । उग्रं तपः समास्थाय बहून्वर्ष गणान्प्रिये

Transliteration

tatastvārādhayāmāsa mahādevaṃ sureśvaram | ugraṃ tapaḥ samāsthāya bahūnvarṣa gaṇānpriye

Translation

तब, हे प्रिये, उसने देवों के ईश्वर महादेव की आराधना की और उग्र तप का आश्रय लेकर अनेक वर्षों तक तपस्या की।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (sentence adverb)

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• आराधयामास: worshipped / propitiated
• आराधयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — 3rd sg perfect active

• महादेवं: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवं: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular masculine; महा + देव (कर्मधारय)

• सुरेश्वरम्: the Lord of the gods
• सुरेश्वरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular masculine; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणाम् ईश्वरः)

• उग्रम्: fierce
• उग्रम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular neuter; तपः-विशेषणम्

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular neuter

• समास्थाय: having undertaken
• समास्थाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव — having undertaken/entered upon

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural masculine; वर्ष-गणान् विशेषयति

• वर्ष: years
• वर्ष: Karman (Measure/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, (समास/समाहारार्थे) अव्ययीभाव-सदृश-प्रयोगः; here used as first member with गणान् (years as units)

• गणान्: multitudes (i.e., a great number)
• गणान्: Karman (Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural masculine; कालपरिमाणवाचक

• प्रिये: O beloved
• प्रिये: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — Vocative singular feminine

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (Mahādeva worship locus)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Paraśurāma in austere posture near a liṅga: matted hair, simple bark garments, fire altar nearby; years passing suggested by changing seasons; Śiva’s presence felt as a luminous aura.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Mahādevī (Pārvatī)
• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Rāma Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Atonement is pursued through sustained tapas and devotion to Śiva, showing dharma as inner transformation, not mere regret.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s Śaiva sphere, where such worship bears fruit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas and ārādhana (propitiatory worship of Mahādeva) are indicated as the spiritual discipline.