Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 109

Devanagari script

तयाथ विद्यया सार्द्धं देवदेवो जगत्पतिः । उग्रे तपसि लीनोऽसौ विष्णुः परमदुष्करम्

Transliteration

tayātha vidyayā sārddhaṃ devadevo jagatpatiḥ | ugre tapasi līno'sau viṣṇuḥ paramaduṣkaram

Translation

แล้วพระวิษณุ—ผู้เป็นเทวะเหนือเทวะและเจ้าแห่งโลก—พร้อมกับนางและวิทยาอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์นั้น ก็ทรงดำดิ่งสู่ตบะอันดุเดือด ยากยิ่งจะปฏิบัติได้

Word by Word

• tayā: with her/with that (f.)
• tayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (Instrumental singular feminine)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक-निपातः (particle: then/now)

• vidyayā: with knowledge
• vidyayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular)

• sārddham: together (with)
• sārddham: Sahārtha (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārddham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; सहार्थक-उपपद/क्रियाविशेषणम् (indeclinable: together/with)

• deva-devaḥ: God of gods
• deva-devaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + deva (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः) (Nominative singular masculine)

• jagat-patiḥ: lord of the world
• jagat-patiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat + pati (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जगतः पतिः) (Nominative singular masculine)

• ugre: in fierce (austere)
• ugre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (Locative singular neuter)

• tapasi: in austerity
• tapasi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Locative singular)

• līnaḥ: absorbed
• līnaḥ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: līna (ली धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकर्मणि/भावे (past participle: absorbed)

• asau: that one (he)
• asau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (Nominative singular masculine)

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Nominative singular)

• parama-duṣkaram: most difficult (austerity)
• parama-duṣkaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama + duṣkara (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (परमं च तत् दुष्करं च) (Accusative singular neuter)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/śaunaka-ādi audience (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu, serene yet intense, seated in deep austerity amid Himalayan crags and snow-fed streams, accompanied by a feminine personification of Vidyā; subtle aura of divine heat (tapas) rising like golden haze.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Devadeva
• Jagatpati
• Vidyā (sacred knowledge)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest Lord exemplifies tapas—disciplined austerity—showing its power in dharma and cosmic purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra-khaṇḍa context glorifies Kedāra (Kedārnātha) as a field where tapas and Śiva’s grace bear fruit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse highlights tapas (austerity) as the implied discipline, without detailing a specific rite.