Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

रावणेन तपस्तप्तं सर्वेषामपि दुःखहम् । तपोधिपो महादेवस्तुतोष च तदा भृशम्

Transliteration

rāvaṇena tapastaptaṃ sarveṣāmapi duḥkhaham | tapodhipo mahādevastutoṣa ca tadā bhṛśam

Translation

ラーヴァナの行じた苦行は、あらゆる者にとって苦しみの因であった。されど苦行の威力を司るマハーデーヴァは、その時ことのほか深く満悦された。

Word by Word

• रावणेन: by Rāvaṇa
• रावणेन: Karana (Instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपेण (object)

• तप्तम्: performed/undertaken (heated)
• तप्तम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप् (धातु) → तप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तपः)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Emphasis/Addition (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• दुःखहम्: removing sorrow, pain-destroying
• दुःखहम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख + ह (धातु) → ह (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तपः); तत्पुरुषः (दुःखं हन्ति इति)

• तपोधिपः: lord of austerities
• तपोधिपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तपसाम् अधिपः)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः)

• तुतोष: was pleased
• तुतोष: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• भृशम्: greatly, exceedingly
• भृशम्: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/तीव्रतावाचक-अव्यय (adverb: greatly)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), by section-context deduction

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (tapas-bhūmi in narrative)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāvaṇa performing fierce tapas—body taut, surrounded by heat-haze—while beings suffer the austerity’s oppressive force; above, Mahādeva’s serene face shows pleased acceptance.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Mahādeva
• Tapas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas has tremendous force: it can shake the world, and when directed with intensity, it can draw the grace of Mahādeva.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra Khaṇḍa’s Śaiva sacred setting, where stories of tapas and Śiva’s favor amplify the region’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is highlighted as a potent discipline, though the exact method is not specified in this verse.