Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

देहे परैका कृशता तपोभिर्नियमैर्यमैः । एतैर्मनोरथफलैः फलत्येव तपोद्रुमाः

Transliteration

dehe paraikā kṛśatā tapobhirniyamairyamaiḥ | etairmanorathaphalaiḥ phalatyeva tapodrumāḥ

Translation

قد لا يظهر في الجسد من ثمرات التقشّف والعهود والضبط إلا النحول؛ غير أنّ شجرة التَّبَس (الزهد والرياضة الروحية) لا بدّ أن تُثمر، فتمنح المقاصد المرجوّة والمكاسب الباطنية.

Word by Word

• देहे: in the body
• देहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• परा: great, extreme
• परा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying कृशता)

• एका: single/only
• एका: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying कृशता)

• कृशता: leanness, emaciation
• कृशता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृशता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• तपोभिः: by austerities
• तपोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• नियमैः: by observances
• नियमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• यमैः: by restraints
• यमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• एतैः: by these
• एतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• मनोरथ: desire, wish
• मनोरथ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनोरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (as member in compound)

• फलैः: with desired fruits
• फलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः: मनोरथ-फलैः (with fruits of desires / desired fruits)

• फलति: bears fruit
• फलति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: फल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• तपो: austerity
• तपो: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (as member in compound)

• द्रुमाः: trees
• द्रुमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः: तपो-द्रुमाः (trees of austerity)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (tapas within the kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tapasvī near the Gaṅgā in Kāśī sits under a flowering tree labeled ‘tapo-druma’; though his body is lean, luminous fruits—peace, insight, and compassion—appear as symbolic blossoms and light-orbs around him.

Characters & Entities

• Tapas
• Yama
• Niyama
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even if austerity seems to yield only bodily hardship, tapas truly ripens into spiritual and desired results.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the teaching occurs within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s wider sacred frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practice of tapas along with yamas (restraints) and niyamas (observances) is recommended.