Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तेपाते धर्मतनयौ तपः परमदुश्चरम् । तावस्माकं वरारोहाः कुर्वाणौ परमं तपः

Transliteration

tepāte dharmatanayau tapaḥ paramaduścaram | tāvasmākaṃ varārohāḥ kurvāṇau paramaṃ tapaḥ

Translation

Kedua putera Dharma itu sedang mengamalkan tapa yang paling luhur, amat sukar dilakukan. Wahai para wanita yang elok susuknya, mereka sedang menunaikan tapas tertinggi hingga menimbulkan kebimbangan pada kami.

Word by Word

• तेपाते: they two performed austerity
• तेपाते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपद

• धर्मतनयौ: the two sons of Dharma
• धर्मतनयौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + तनय (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; कर्तृपद (तेपाते)

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

• परमदुश्चरम्: supremely difficult to perform
• परमदुश्चरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + दुश्चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तपः)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• अस्माकम्: of us / our
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वरारोहाः: O fair-limbed ones (lit. those of excellent ascent)
• वरारोहाः: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative-like epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + आरोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे/वर्णनार्थे (contextual epithet)

• कुर्वाणौ: doing / performing
• कुर्वाणौ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) → कुर्वाण (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तपः)

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

Speaker

Indra (Śakra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gandhamādana tapo-kṣetra

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Apsarases (within the embedded scene); king (frame listener)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nara and Nārāyaṇa seated in yogic stillness amid snow-bright Himalayas; their tapas radiates like a subtle aura, while celestial beings watch with anxious reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Nara
• Nārāyaṇa
• Indra (Śakra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas is portrayed as a force that can reshape destiny; hence it is guarded and often tested—yet it remains the path of inner mastery.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader episode is anchored at Gandhamādana; this verse emphasizes the intensity of the sages’ austerity rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; it underscores ‘parama tapaḥ’—the highest austerity—being performed.