Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

तत्र तप्त्वा तपो घोरं ब्रह्मलोकं जगाम सः । शतश्रृंगो नृपश्रेष्ठः शतश्रृंगे नगोत्तमे

Transliteration

tatra taptvā tapo ghoraṃ brahmalokaṃ jagāma saḥ | śataśrṛṃgo nṛpaśreṣṭhaḥ śataśrṛṃge nagottame

Translation

അവിടെ ഭയങ്കര തപസ്സു ചെയ്ത് അവൻ ബ്രഹ്മലോകം പ്രാപിച്ചു. രാജശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ ശതശൃംഗൻ ശതശൃംഗമെന്ന ഉത്തമ പർവതത്തിൽ ഇതു നേടി.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• तप्त्वा: having performed (austerity)
• तप्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); तप्-धातोः

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (accusative singular)

• घोरम्: terrible, severe
• घोरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with तपः)

• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Brahma-world
• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + लोक (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः लोकः)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

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

• शतश्रृङ्गः: having a hundred peaks/horns
• शतश्रृङ्गः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत + श्रृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य शतं श्रृङ्गाणि सः)

• नृपश्रेष्ठः: the best of kings
• नृपश्रेष्ठः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नृपाणां श्रेष्ठः)

• शतश्रृङ्गे: on/at Śataśṛṅga (the hundred-peaked place)
• शतश्रृङ्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + श्रृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (शतं श्रृङ्गाणि यस्मिन्)

• नगोत्तमे: on the best mountain
• नगोत्तमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नग + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नगानाम् उत्तमः)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śataśṛṅga

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A crowned king-ascetic (Śataśṛṅga) stands on a lofty multi-peaked mountain, body emaciated by austerity, surrounded by wind-swept pines and hermitage fires; above, a luminous path opens toward Brahmaloka.

Characters & Entities

• Śataśṛṅga (king)
• Śataśṛṅga (mountain)
• Brahmaloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Intense tapas, performed in a sanctified place, bears exalted fruit—attainment of higher worlds—affirming the Purāṇic link between place, practice, and result.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śataśṛṅga mountain is praised as a superior sacred mountain connected with successful austerity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas is the central practice; no auxiliary ritual details are provided.