Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

तपस्तेपे गिरिसुता पुत्रेण परिपालिता । ग्रीष्मे पंचाग्निसंतप्ता वर्षासु च जलोषिता

Transliteration

tapastepe girisutā putreṇa paripālitā | grīṣme paṃcāgnisaṃtaptā varṣāsu ca jaloṣitā

Translation

ഗിരിസുത പുത്രന്റെ പരിപാലനത്തിൽ തപസ്സു ചെയ്തു. ഗ്രീഷ്മത്തിൽ പഞ്ചാഗ്നിയുടെ ചൂട് സഹിച്ചു; വർഷകാലത്ത് ജലത്തിൽ മുങ്ങി നിലകൊണ്ടു.

Word by Word

• tapaḥ: austerity, penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• tepe: performed (austerities)
• tepe: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• giri-sutā: daughter of the mountain (Pārvatī)
• giri-sutā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक) + sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• putreṇa: by (her) son
• putreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• paripālitā: protected, cared for
• paripālitā: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari + pāl (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि प्रयोग), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Past passive participle, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• grīṣme: in summer
• grīṣme: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grīṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Masculine, Locative, Singular

• paṃca-agni-saṃtaptā: heated by the five fires (pañcāgni-tapas)
• paṃca-agni-saṃtaptā: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paṃca (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + agni (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃ + tap (धातु)
• Form: समासः (पञ्चाग्नि-तत्पुरुष) + कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Compound + past passive participle, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• varṣāsu: in the rains (rainy season)
• varṣāsu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; Feminine, Locative, Plural

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

• jala-uṣitā: dwelling in water (immersed in water)
• jala-uṣitā: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + uṣ (धातु)
• Form: समासः (जल-तत्पुरुष) + कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Compound + past passive participle, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pārvatī, the mountain-born goddess, seated in austere meditation: in summer encircled by four fires with the sun overhead (pañcāgni), and in monsoon standing immersed in water, while a youthful attendant-son keeps watch nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Pārvatī)
• Her son (unnamed here; contextually Gaṇeśa/Skanda depending on recension)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfastness in dharma: spiritual attainment is pursued through disciplined endurance across changing seasons and conditions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Himalayan ascetic setting is highlighted generally; no named tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pañcāgni-tapas (austerity amid five fires) and seasonal observances like water-immersion during the rains.