Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

तपसा दुष्करेणाप्तः पतित्वे शंकरो मया । स मां श्यामलवर्णेति बहुशः प्रोक्तवान्भवः

Transliteration

tapasā duṣkareṇāptaḥ patitve śaṃkaro mayā | sa māṃ śyāmalavarṇeti bahuśaḥ proktavānbhavaḥ

Translation

“ദുഷ്കരവും കഠിനവുമായ തപസ്സിലൂടെ ഞാൻ ശങ്കരനെ ഭർത്താവായി നേടി. എങ്കിലും ഭവൻ (ശിവൻ) എന്നെ പലവട്ടം ‘ശ്യാമവർണ്ണ’ എന്നു വിളിച്ചു.”

Word by Word

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• दुष्करेण: difficult
• दुष्करेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying तपसा)

• आप्तः: obtained
• आप्तः: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया-विशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु) → आप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः—‘प्राप्तः’ (obtained)

• पतित्वे: as (my) husbandhood; in the role of husband
• पतित्वे: Adhikarana (State/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (locative singular); भाववाचक (state of being husband)

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive sense/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/सामान्य, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/सामान्य, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• श्यामलवर्णा: dark-complexioned
• श्यामलवर्णा: Karma (Object complement with ‘इति’/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्यामल (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—श्यामलः वर्णः यस्याः/या (dark-complexioned)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-marker (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• बहुशः: many times
• बहुशः: Kala/Prakara (Manner/frequency)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुशः (अव्यय; बहु से)
• Form: आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: repeatedly/many times)

• प्रोक्तवान्: said
• प्रोक्तवान्: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्तवत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्तवतुँ-प्रत्ययान्त (perfect participle/active past), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि—‘प्रोक्तवान्’ (has said)

• भवः: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवः: Karta (Apposition to ‘सः’/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; शिव-नाम

Speaker

Pārvatī (Devī)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Girijā speaks with restrained pain: she recalls winning Śaṅkara through harsh tapas, yet being repeatedly called ‘śyāmalavarṇā’ by Bhava; the contrast between ascetic triumph and emotional hurt is central.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara
• Bhava
• Pārvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even after attaining the highest boon through tapas, Devī’s story shows how divine play (līlā) can turn a personal pain into a cosmic purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it is a theological narrative within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is referenced as the means by which Devī attained Śiva as husband, but no specific vrata or rite is prescribed here.