Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

अङ्गारकेण राजेन्द्र पुरा तप्तं तपः किल । अर्बुदं च निखर्वं च प्रयुतं वर्षसंख्यया

Transliteration

aṅgārakeṇa rājendra purā taptaṃ tapaḥ kila | arbudaṃ ca nikharvaṃ ca prayutaṃ varṣasaṃkhyayā

Translation

ข้าแต่ราชาเอกแห่งกษัตริย์ เล่ากันว่าในกาลก่อน อังคารกะได้บำเพ็ญตบะ ณ ที่นั้น เป็นเวลายาวนานเกินคณานับ คือจำนวนปีเท่าอรพุท นิคัรพ และประยุต

Word by Word

• अङ्गारकेण: by Aṅgāraka (Mars)
• अङ्गारकेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

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

• पुरा: formerly, in ancient times
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly/once)

• तप्तम्: performed/undertaken (austerity)
• तप्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप् (धातु) → तप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘तपः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/श्रुत्यर्थक निपात (indeed/it is said)

• अर्बुदम्: an arbuda (a vast number)
• अर्बुदम्: Karma (Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्बुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (and)

• निखर्वम्: a nikharva (a vast number)
• निखर्वम्: Karma (Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निखर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• प्रयुतम्: a prayuta (ten thousand)
• प्रयुतम्: Karma (Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक

• वर्षसंख्यया: by a count of years (for so many years)
• वर्षसंख्यया: Karana (Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; साधन/प्रकारवाचक

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aṅgāraka Tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Aṅgāraka as a red-hued ascetic performing severe austerities on the Narmadā bank for unimaginably long ages; sun and moon cycle overhead, seasons turning, while the river remains witness.

Characters & Entities

• Aṅgāraka
• Aṅgāraka Tīrtha
• Narmadā (implied by context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s greatness is grounded in tapas—sites sanctified by extraordinary austerities become enduring reservoirs of merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Aṅgāraka Tīrtha (contextually on the Narmadā bank).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed here; the verse supplies the sanctifying backstory of Aṅgāraka’s tapas.