Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

ग्रस्तेन शंभुना येन देवकार्यार्थसिद्धये । तत्रोदरगतेनैव तपस्तप्तं सुदुष्करम्

Transliteration

grastena śaṃbhunā yena devakāryārthasiddhaye | tatrodaragatenaiva tapastaptaṃ suduṣkaram

Translation

ദേവകാര്യസിദ്ധിക്കായി ശംഭു അവനെ വിഴുങ്ങി; (ശിവന്റെ) ഉദരത്തിൽ ഇരുന്നിട്ടും അവൻ അവിടെ അത്യന്തം ദുഷ്കരമായ തപസ്സു ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• ग्रस्तेन: by (one who is) swallowed / having been swallowed
• ग्रस्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रस्त (√ग्रस् धातु; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• शंभुना: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• येन: by whom / by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• देवकार्यार्थसिद्धये: for the accomplishment of the gods’ purpose (their task)
• देवकार्यार्थसिद्धये: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + कार्य + अर्थ + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—देवकार्यार्थसिद्धि = देवस्य कार्यस्य अर्थस्य सिद्धिः (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन)

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

• उदरगतेन: by (one) being in the belly / having entered the belly
• उदरगतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदर + गत (√गम् धातु; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—उदरगत = उदरे गतः; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त

• एव: indeed / only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

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

• तप्तम्: performed / practiced
• तप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप्त (√तप् धातु; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; (अत्र) ‘तपः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण—‘performed’

• सुदुष्करम्: very difficult
• सुदुष्करम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—सु-दुष्कर = अतिदुष्कर (very difficult)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śukra-antar-tapas episode (Prabhāsa localization)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śukra swallowed by Śambhu for the gods’ objective; inside a cosmic, cavern-like belly-space, Śukra continues austerities—meditating amid inner fire and mantra-light.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Devas
• Śukra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even overwhelming trials become a field for tapas when one is aligned with divine purpose and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, as the sacred setting where Śukra’s Śaiva episode is commemorated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual instruction; the verse emphasizes tapas as the archetypal practice.