Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणा चापि ब्रह्मत्वं प्राप्तं किलतपोबलात् । अन्यैरपि च यल्लब्धं तन्नसंख्यातुमुत्सहे

Transliteration

brahmaṇā cāpi brahmatvaṃ prāptaṃ kilatapobalāt | anyairapi ca yallabdhaṃ tannasaṃkhyātumutsahe

Translation

「梵天でさえ、苦行（タパス）の力によって梵天の位を得たと伝えられる。ほかの者たちがそれによって得たもの—わたしは数え尽くすことを敢えてしない。」

Word by Word

• brahmaṇā: by Brahmā/by Brahman
• brahmaṇā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; कर्तृकरणे/साधने (by Brahmā / by the Absolute—contextual)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: and)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (also/even)

• brahmatvam: Brahmahood/state of being Brahmā
• brahmatvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भाववाचक तद्धितान्त (-त्व)

• prāptam: attained/obtained
• prāptam: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; धातु: प्र + आप् (to attain)

• kila: indeed/it is said
• kila: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; खलु/किल (indeed, it is said)

• tapaḥ-balāt: from the power of austerity
• tapaḥ-balāt: Apadana (Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: तपसः बलम्; हेतौ (due to the power of austerity)

• anyaiḥ: by others
• anyaiḥ: Karana (Agent/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘others’ (by others)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (also/even)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• yat: whatever
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun: whatever)

• labdham: obtained
• labdham: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; धातु: लभ् (to obtain)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; निर्देश (that)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• saṃkhyātum: to count/enumerate
• saṃkhyātum: Karma (Infinitival object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-khyā (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), अव्ययभाव; धातु: सं + ख्या (to count/enumerate)

• utsahe: I am able/I dare
• utsahe: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-sah (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; धातु: उत् + सह् (to be able/dare)

Speaker

Śrī Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā in deep austerity on a lotus, surrounded by a radiance of tapas (tejas) rising like flames; distant silhouettes of other sages whose attainments are ‘uncountable’.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas is celebrated as a transformative power capable of granting even the highest stations and spiritual accomplishments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular sacred site is named; the verse glorifies tapas itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Austerity (tapas) is upheld as the effective means; no single vow-form is specified.