Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

तपश्चचार विपुलं पुत्रार्थं पाण्डुनन्दन । हिमवद्दुहिता तेन गौरी नारायणी नृप

Transliteration

tapaścacāra vipulaṃ putrārthaṃ pāṇḍunandana | himavadduhitā tena gaurī nārāyaṇī nṛpa

Translation

般度之子啊，他为求得一子而修行广大苦行（tapas）。大王啊，由此苦行，喜马瓦特（Himavat）之女——高丽·那罗衍尼（Gaurī Nārāyaṇī）得以欢喜并被感召。

Word by Word

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — neuter accusative singular

• चकार: performed/did
• चकार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — perfect 3rd person singular

• विपुलम्: abundant/great
• विपुलम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — neuter accusative singular; qualifies तपः

• पुत्रार्थम्: for the sake of a son
• पुत्रार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (पुत्रस्य अर्थः/हेतु), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — accusative singular used adverbially ‘for the sake of’

• पाण्डुनन्दन: O son of Pāṇḍu
• पाण्डुनन्दन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पाण्डोः नन्दनः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — vocative singular

• हिमवत्: of Himavat (the Himalaya)
• हिमवत्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — masculine genitive singular (of Himavat)

• दुहिता: daughter
• दुहिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुहितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — feminine nominative singular

• तेन: by that/thereby
• तेन: Karana (Cause/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — instrumental singular (by that/thereby)

• गौरी: Gaurī
• गौरी: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — feminine nominative singular

• नारायणी: Nārāyaṇī
• नारायणी: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — feminine nominative singular

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — vocative singular

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pāreśvara (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍu-nandana / nṛpa (king addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Parāśara sits in intense austerity near the Narmadā—matted hair, deer-skin, fire-altar nearby; above or before him appears Gaurī Nārāyaṇī, luminous and compassionate, with हिमालय symbolism (snowy peaks or a Himavat motif) subtly included.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Gaurī
• Nārāyaṇī
• Himavat
• Pāṇḍunandana (Arjuna)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Focused austerity undertaken with dharmic intent draws divine response; blessings arise through disciplined tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context is the auspicious Narmadā bank near Pāreśvara where Parāśara performed tapas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) undertaken with a specific saṅkalpa (here, putrārtha—desire for a son).