Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

पुरा शक्रेण तत्रैव तपो वै दुरतिक्रमम् । प्रारब्धं परया भक्त्या देवं प्रति महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

purā śakreṇa tatraiva tapo vai duratikramam | prārabdhaṃ parayā bhaktyā devaṃ prati maheśvaram

Translation

往昔，释迦就在彼处以至诚大信，向大自在天（Maheśvara）发起严峻难行的苦行（tapas）。

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly)

• शक्रेण: by Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रेण: कर्ता (Agent in passive construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle of emphasis)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• दुरतिक्रमम्: hard to surpass / very difficult
• दुरतिक्रमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग) + अतिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तपसः)

• प्रारब्धम्: was undertaken
• प्रारब्धम्: क्रिया (Predicate in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + रभ् (धातु) → प्रारब्ध (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘was begun’

• परया: with supreme
• परया: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भक्त्या)

• भक्त्या: devotion
• भक्त्या: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रति: towards / unto
• प्रति: सम्प्रदान/दिशा (Direction/Goal marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय/पूर्वसर्ग (preposition: towards/unto)

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: कर्म (Object; apposition to देवम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; महा + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; देवम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śakratīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra (Śakra) performs intense austerity on the riverbank—standing on one leg, matted hair, minimal ornaments; a liṅga or radiant Śiva presence before him; Narmadā flows quietly beside.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Śakratīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the king of gods attains success through tapas supported by unwavering bhakti to Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śakratīrtha, sanctified by Śakra’s austerities performed there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas and bhakti toward Maheśvara are upheld as the exemplary practice associated with the site.