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

Di sana baginda membelah puncak gunung, membuat sebuah bukaan yang mulia, lalu masuk ke dalamnya dan menjalankan tapa yang amat sukar di bahagian dalam.

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.