Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

तेजसा तपसातीव दीप्यमानमिवानलम् । चीरवल्कलसंवीतं शालवृक्षं समाश्रितम्

Transliteration

tejasā tapasātīva dīpyamānamivānalam | cīravalkalasaṃvītaṃ śālavṛkṣaṃ samāśritam

Translation

Ngài rực sáng bởi oai quang của khổ hạnh mãnh liệt như chính ngọn lửa, khoác áo vỏ cây và mảnh vải rách, ngồi nương dưới gốc cây śāla.

Word by Word

• तेजसा: by radiance
• तेजसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अतिशयार्थक (intensifier adverb)

• दीप्यमानम्: shining
• दीप्यमानम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present participle, शानच्), परस्मैपदी-प्रयोग; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-सम्भव, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक (particle of comparison)

• अनलम्: fire
• अनलम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• चीरवल्कलसंवीतम्: clad in bark-cloth garments
• चीरवल्कलसंवीतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चीर-वल्कल-संवीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चीर (rags/bark-cloth) + वल्कल (bark garment) + संवीत (clad); द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; विशेषण

• शालवृक्षम्: a śāla tree
• शालवृक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल-वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शाल (śāla tree) + वृक्ष (tree); द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग

• समाश्रितम्: having resorted to / seated near
• समाश्रितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+आ+श्रि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle, क्त), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; विशेषण (of viśvāmitra)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in a māhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viśvāmitra, lean and radiant, sits beneath a tall śāla tree; his body glows like contained fire, wearing bark and rags; the forest around is still, as if honoring his tapas.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• śāla tree

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas generates tejas—spiritual radiance—portrayed as a transformative power that sanctifies both person and place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sanctity of the riverbank āśrama is highlighted through the presence and radiance of the sage; the exact tīrtha name is not stated here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; ascetic discipline (tapas, simple clothing) is exemplified as dharmic conduct.