Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

तपस्तपस्व शीघ्रं त्वं पुत्रार्थं तु ममाज्ञया । एतद्वाक्यावसाने तु साष्टाङ्गं प्रणताब्रवीत्

Transliteration

tapastapasva śīghraṃ tvaṃ putrārthaṃ tu mamājñayā | etadvākyāvasāne tu sāṣṭāṅgaṃ praṇatābravīt

Translation

నా ఆజ్ఞతో నీవు త్వరగా పుత్రార్థం తపస్సు చేయుము. ఈ మాటలు ముగియగానే ఆమె అష్టాంగ నమస్కారం చేసి తరువాత పలికింది.

Word by Word

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

• तपस्व: perform penance
• तपस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुत्रार्थम्: for the sake of a son
• पुत्रार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रार्थ (प्रातिपदिक: पुत्र + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थक (purpose)

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक (emphatic/contrastive particle)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• आज्ञया: by (my) command
• आज्ञया: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Adhikarana (in/at)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण (as compound member)

• वाक्यावसाने: at the end of the speech
• वाक्यावसाने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्यावसान (प्रातिपदिक: वाक्य + अवसान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानार्थक (particle)

• साष्टाङ्गम्: with eight limbs (prostrating fully)
• साष्टाङ्गम्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साष्टाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक: स + अष्ट + अङ्ग)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)

• प्रणता: having bowed down
• प्रणता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Atri (first line); Narrator (second line describing her prostration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha (contextual)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The woman undertaking tapas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Atri commands swift tapas for progeny; the woman performs aṣṭāṅga-praṇāma (eight-limbed prostration) and prepares to speak, signaling acceptance and resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Atri
• Anasūyā (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It models disciplined obedience and humility: spiritual effort is coupled with reverence toward one’s guide and dharmic authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the narrative later moves toward the Revā (Narmadā).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas for putrārtha and the gesture of aṣṭāṅga-praṇāma (full prostration) are explicitly mentioned.