Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

ऋक्षशैलं समारुह्य तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् । अदृश्यः सर्वभूतानां सर्वभूतात्मको वशी

Transliteration

ṛkṣaśailaṃ samāruhya tapastepe sudāruṇam | adṛśyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ sarvabhūtātmako vaśī

Translation

ரிக்ஷசைலத்தை ஏறி அவர் மிகக் கடுமையான தவம் செய்தார்; எல்லா உயிர்களுக்கும் மறைந்தவர், ஆயினும் எல்லாரின் ஆத்மாவாய், வசியான ஈசன்.

Word by Word

• ऋक्षशैलम्: Ṛkṣa mountain
• ऋक्षशैलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ऋक्षाणां शैलः/ऋक्ष-नामकः शैलः)

• समारुह्य: having ascended
• समारुह्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive)

• तपः: austerity; penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तेपे: performed austerity
• तेपे: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सुदारुणम्: very severe
• सुदारुणम्: Qualifier of object (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (तपः)

• अदृश्यः: invisible
• अदृश्यः: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + दृश्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वभूतानाम्: of all beings
• सर्वभूतानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वाणि भूतानि)

• सर्वभूतात्मकः: whose essence is all beings; all-pervading
• सर्वभूतात्मकः: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वभूत (समास-प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (सर्वभूतानि आत्मा यस्य सः / सर्वभूतस्वरूपः)

• वशी: self-controlled; masterful
• वशी: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Manu

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ṛkṣaśaila

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vatsa/disciple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva ascends Ṛkṣaśaila and performs fierce tapas, invisible to beings; yet his presence pervades all as their very self—depict a solitary ascetic on a peak with a vast subtle aura filling the world.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Ṛkṣaśaila

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme may be unseen, yet is immanent as the inner Self of all—tapas reveals that hidden presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ṛkṣaśaila is named as a sacred locus where Śiva’s tapas becomes the source for the ensuing river-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse praises austerity and the sanctity of the mountain setting.