Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । गतेप्सरसि राजेन्द्र धर्मस्तस्थौ यथाविधि । तपस्तेपे महाघोरं विश्वस्योद्वेगदायकम्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | gatepsarasi rājendra dharmastasthau yathāvidhi | tapastepe mahāghoraṃ viśvasyodvegadāyakam

Translation

సూతుడు పలికెను—హే రాజేంద్రా, అప్సరసి వెళ్లిన తరువాత ధర్ముడు విధిపూర్వకంగా అక్కడే నిలిచి, సమస్త లోకమును కలవరపెట్టే మహాఘోర తపస్సు ఆచరించెను.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• गते: when (she) had gone
• गते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past Active Participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• अप्सरसि: the apsaras
• अप्सरसि: Adhikarana (Locative absolute)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• धर्मः: Dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्थौ: stood / remained
• तस्थौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Prakāra (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘as/according to’)

• विधि: rule / prescribed manner
• विधि: Prakāra (Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); अव्ययीभावार्थे (used adverbially with यथा)

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

• तेपे: performed (austerity)
• तेपे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• महाघोरम्: very terrible
• महाघोरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying तपः)

• विश्वस्य: of the world
• विश्वस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• उद्वेगदायकम्: causing agitation
• उद्वेगदायकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्वेग-दायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying तपः)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇyaka

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (king; likely the frame listener in the sūta narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta narrates: after the apsaras leaves, Dharma remains in the forest and begins a fierce austerity; the world trembles—winds rise, skies darken, devas grow anxious.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Dharma (personified)
• Apsaras (Varddhanī, implied)
• King (rājendra, listener)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas (austerity) undertaken by a dharmic power has cosmic consequences, showing the potency of disciplined spiritual force.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse remains within the Dharmāraṇya sacred narrative zone; the emphasis is on Dharma’s tapas rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas performed yathā-vidhi (according to prescribed rule), indicating regulated austerity rather than arbitrary mortification.