Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

एतत्तपो जुषाणं तं महेशं हिमवान्ययौ । तत्पादपल्लवं द्रष्टुं पार्वत्या सह बुद्धिमान्

Transliteration

etattapo juṣāṇaṃ taṃ maheśaṃ himavānyayau | tatpādapallavaṃ draṣṭuṃ pārvatyā saha buddhimān

Translation

ആ തപസ്സിൽ ലീനനായ മഹേശനെ കണ്ട ജ്ഞാനിയായ ഹിമവാൻ പാർവതിയോടുകൂടെ, അവന്റെ പാദപദ്മത്തിന്റെ কোমല പല്ലവം ദർശിക്കുവാൻ സമീപിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तपः)

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

• जुषाणम्: engaged in, practicing
• जुषाणम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जुष् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तम् महेशम्)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महेशम्: Maheśa (Śiva)
• महेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘तम्’ इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन्

• हिमवान्: Himavān (Himālaya)
• हिमवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ययौ: went, approached
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तत्-पाद-पल्लवम्: the tender sprout-like feet (i.e., lotus-feet) of him
• तत्-पाद-पल्लवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्-पाद-पल्लव (प्रातिपदिक; तद् + पाद + पल्लव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थे (purpose)

• पार्वत्या: with Pārvatī
• पार्वत्या: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सहार्थे

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक उपपद (postposition)

• बुद्धिमान्: wise
• बुद्धिमान्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (हिमवान्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tapas-sthāna of Maheśa in Himavad-droṇī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Contextual) audience in Kedārakhaṇḍa frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Himavān, dignified and wise, approaches the meditating Śiva with young Pārvatī beside him; focus on Śiva’s lotus-like feet; gaṇas present but calm; the valley luminous with austerity.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Himavān
• Pārvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True wisdom culminates in darśana-bhakti—approaching the Lord with reverence for his feet.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Himālaya setting of Kedārakhaṇḍa, a sanctified terrain because of Śiva’s tapas and darśana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is stated; the implied practice is darśana and humble approach to the deity.