Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तत्र भित्त्वा गिरेः शृंगे कृत्वा विवरमुत्तमम् । प्रविष्टस्तस्य मध्ये तु तपस्तेपे सुदुश्चरम्

Transliteration

tatra bhittvā gireḥ śṛṃge kṛtvā vivaramuttamam | praviṣṭastasya madhye tu tapastepe suduścaram

Translation

അവിടെ അവൻ പർവ്വതശിഖരം പിളർത്തി ഉത്തമമായൊരു വിടവ് ഉണ്ടാക്കി; അതിനുള്ളിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ച് അത്യന്തം ദുഷ്കരമായ തപസ്സു ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

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

• भित्त्वा: having split/pierced
• भित्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √bhid (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• गिरेः: of the mountain
• गिरेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, genitive singular

• शृङ्गे: on the peak
• शृङ्गे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, locative singular

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• विवरम्: an opening, a hole
• विवरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vivara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, accusative singular

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, accusative singular (agreeing with ‘विवरम्’)

• प्रविष्टः: having entered
• प्रविष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√viś (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; past participle, masculine, nominative singular

• तस्य: of it/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; pronoun, genitive singular

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, locative singular

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयबोधक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

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

• तेपे: performed (austerity)
• तेपे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tap (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; perfect, middle, 3rd person singular

• सुदुश्चरम्: very difficult (to perform)
• सुदुश्चरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + duṣ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद-पूर्वक: ‘दुश्चर’ = hard to do; ‘सु’ = very), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, accusative singular (agreeing with ‘तपः’)

Speaker

Pulastya (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbudācala (Arbuda)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous ascetic figure (Candra in anthropomorphic form) cleaves a mountain peak, enters a newly formed cave, and sits in deep austerity amid rocky walls, faint moonlight, and still air.

Characters & Entities

• Candra (implied)
• Arbuda mountain
• Tapas (austerity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas (disciplined austerity) is shown as a transformative force that sanctifies place and person, culminating in divine favor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Arbuda mountain locale, particularly the sanctified interior/cave created at its peak, linked to the Candrodbheda tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Austerity (tapas) is described as the practice undertaken; no specific vow details are given here.