Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मापि तपसा युक्तस्तेपे वर्षशतत्रयम् । तिष्ठन्नेव पुरो विष्णोर्विष्णुमायाविमोहितः

Transliteration

brahmāpi tapasā yuktastepe varṣaśatatrayam | tiṣṭhanneva puro viṣṇorviṣṇumāyāvimohitaḥ

Translation

برہما بھی تپسیا سے آراستہ ہو کر تین سو برس تک تپسیا کرتا رہا—وِشنو کے سامنے کھڑا رہتے ہوئے بھی، وِشنو کی مایا کے فریب میں مبتلا رہا۔

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कार (also/even particle)

• tapasā: by austerity
• tapasā: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)

• yuktaḥ: endowed; engaged
• yuktaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuj (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• tepe: performed (penance)
• tepe: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Perfect, Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular)

• varṣa-śata-trayam: three hundred years
• varṣa-śata-trayam: Karma (Measure/extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (संख्यापूर्वक); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• tiṣṭhan: standing
• tiṣṭhan: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Concomitant action)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• eva: just; indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (Emphasis)

• puraḥ: in front
• puraḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puraḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (Adverb: 'in front')

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Singular)

• viṣṇu-māyā-vimohitaḥ: deluded by Viṣṇu’s māyā
• viṣṇu-māyā-vimohitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + vi-mohita (मुह्-धातोः क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle as adjective); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (tapas-bhūmi)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā stands in prolonged austerity before Viṣṇu for three hundred years; despite tapas, a veil of māyā lingers—shown as a subtle mist or shimmering screen between them.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Māyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity alone is not sufficient if māyā still veils insight; humility and divine grace complete spiritual understanding.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya setting continues; the prolonged tapas underscores the sanctity of the place and the gravity of the tīrtha-linked episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (long austerity) is described, highlighting sustained spiritual discipline.