Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

निराहारः पंचतपा वर्षायुतमभूत्किल । ततः स्वदेहादुत्कृत्त्य कर्षंकर्षं दिनेदिने

Transliteration

nirāhāraḥ paṃcatapā varṣāyutamabhūtkila | tataḥ svadehādutkṛttya karṣaṃkarṣaṃ dinedine

Translation

അവൻ ആഹാരമില്ലാതെ ‘പഞ്ചതപാ’ തപസ്സു പത്തായിരം വർഷം നടത്തി. പിന്നെ ദിനംപ്രതി സ്വന്തം ദേഹത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഓരോ കർഷ അളവോളം ഭാഗം മുറിച്ചു നീക്കിത്തുടങ്ങി।

Word by Word

• निराहारः: without food, fasting
• निराहारः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (masculine nominative singular; adjective: without food)

• पञ्चतपाः: practising the five-fire austerity
• पञ्चतपाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगुसमास; विशेषण (masc nom sg; ‘one who has five fires/austerities’)

• वर्षायुतम्: for ten thousand years
• वर्षायुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालपरिमाणवाचक (neuter accusative singular; duration)

• अभूत्: was, became
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु), लङ् (परस्मैपद)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/इम्परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Imperfect, 3rd person singular, active)

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/श्रुत्यर्थक निपात (particle: indeed/it is said)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमवाचक (indeclinable adverb: then/from that)

• स्व: own
• स्व: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण; स्वकीय (used as possessive ‘own’)

• देहात्: from (his) body
• देहात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine ablative singular)

• उत्कृत्त्य: having cut out
• उत्कृत्त्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् (उपसर्ग) + √कृत्/कृन्त् (धातु ‘to cut’) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having cut out’

• कर्षम्: a karṣa-measure (portion)
• कर्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक (masc acc sg; a karṣa measure)

• कर्षम्: (portion) by portion
• कर्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for distributive sense)

• दिने: in a day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter locative singular)

• दिने: day after day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (locative repeated: day by day)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: cave

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A gaunt ascetic-daitya amid the pañcatapa: four blazing fires at the cardinal directions and the sun overhead; he stands or sits unmoving, emaciated from fasting; time is suggested by layered seasons passing.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcatapas (five fires austerity)
• Karṣa (measure)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa underscores the formidable power of sustained austerity, while implicitly warning that power gained without dhārmic intent can disturb cosmic balance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tapas is performed at the Pāriyātra mountain cave, portrayed as an efficacious ascetic setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Fasting (nirāhāra) and pañcatapas are mentioned; the verse also depicts severe self-mortification (not a general dharma prescription).