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

தர்மனின் அந்த இரு புதல்வரும் மிகக் கடினமான தவத்தைச் செய்கின்றனர். ஓ அழகிய அங்கங்களையுடையவர்களே, நம்மைக் குறித்து அவர்கள் உன்னதத் தவத்தில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளனர்.

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.