Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ततश्च कोटितीर्थेऽस्मिन्गौतमो भगवानृषिः । अतप्यत तपो घोरमहल्यासंगमाशया

Transliteration

tataśca koṭitīrthe'smingautamo bhagavānṛṣiḥ | atapyata tapo ghoramahalyāsaṃgamāśayā

Translation

பின்னர் இந்த கோடிதீர்த்தத்தில் பகவான் முனிவர் கௌதமர், அகல்யையுடன் மீண்டும் சேரும் ஆசையால் கடும் தவம் செய்தார்।

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): 'ततः' = 'then/thereafter'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/conjunction)

• कोटितीर्थे: at Koṭitīrtha
• कोटितीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटितीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; कोटि + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कोटीनां तीर्थम्)

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• गौतमः: Gautama
• गौतमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• भगवान्: venerable, divine
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) गौतमस्य

• ऋषिः: sage
• ऋषिः: Karta (Appositive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; गौतमस्य अप्पोजिशन (apposition)

• अतप्यत: performed austerity
• अतप्यत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातुः तप् = तपस्यति

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

• घोरम्: terrible, intense
• घोरम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणं तपसः

• अहल्यासङ्गमाशया: with the hope of meeting Ahalyā
• अहल्यासङ्गमाशया: Hetu (Cause/Motive/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहल्या + सङ्गम + आशा (प्रातिपदिक; components)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; हेतौ/साधनभावे (by/with the hope); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अहल्यायाः सङ्गमस्य आशा)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Koṭitīrtha

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Arjuna (Phālguna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Koṭitīrtha, sage Gautama sits in severe austerity near sacred waters, matted hair and ascetic emblems, his gaze fixed in longing for reunion with Ahalyā; the tīrtha landscape is charged with quiet power.

Characters & Entities

• Koṭitīrtha
• Gautama Ṛṣi
• Ahalyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrthas become amplifiers of tapas; disciplined austerity guided by dharmic intent bears fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Koṭitīrtha, where Gautama Ṛṣi undertakes severe penance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The practice of ghora-tapas (intense austerity) at a tīrtha for attaining a desired dharmic outcome.