Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

प्रहस्य प्रत्युवाचेदं ब्राह्मणं श्लक्ष्णया गिरा । मया वर्षसहस्रं तु निराहारं तपः कृतम्

Transliteration

prahasya pratyuvācedaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ ślakṣṇayā girā | mayā varṣasahasraṃ tu nirāhāraṃ tapaḥ kṛtam

Translation

พระองค์ทรงแย้มสรวล แล้วตรัสตอบพราหมณ์นั้นด้วยวาจาอ่อนโยนว่า “เราบำเพ็ญตบะโดยไม่เสวยอาหารตลอดพันปี”

Word by Word

• prahasya: having laughed
• prahasya: Kriya-viseshana (Conjunctive action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√has (धातु) + lyap (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्ययभाव), अव्यय (gerund)

• pratyuvāca: replied
• pratyuvāca: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati√vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• idam: this (speech/statement)
• idam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• brāhmaṇam: the Brahmin
• brāhmaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ślakṣṇayā: with gentle
• ślakṣṇayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ślakṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying girā)

• girā: speech/voice
• girā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gir (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• varṣasahasram: a thousand years
• varṣasahasram: Karma (Extent/duration as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (varṣāṇāṃ sahasram); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• nirāhāram: without food
• nirāhāram: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (āhāra-rahita); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying tapaḥ)

• tapaḥ: austerity/penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kṛtam: done/performed
• kṛtam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense)

Speaker

Mahādeva (Śiva) in brāhmaṇa disguise

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The brāhmaṇa-formed Mahādeva smiles and speaks gently, revealing an astonishing austerity: a thousand years without food; the contrast between mild demeanor and immense tapas is central.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity (tapas) is immense, yet the narrative often turns to show that compassion and dharma in action stand alongside ascetic power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa tīrtha milieu frames the exchange, presenting the region as a stage where tapas and grace become visible.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nirāhāra (fasting/abstaining from food) is mentioned as an austerity, though not prescribed here as a rule for the listener.