Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

आराधितोऽनुदिवसं सभूतैरपि पंचभिः । तप एव परं मेने गोविंदार्पित मानसः

Transliteration

ārādhito'nudivasaṃ sabhūtairapi paṃcabhiḥ | tapa eva paraṃ mene goviṃdārpita mānasaḥ

Translation

كان يُعبَدُ يومًا بعد يوم، حتى من قِبَلِ العناصر الخمسة، غير أنّ قلبه مُهْدًى إلى جوفيندا، فرأى التَّقشُّفَ (التَّبَس) وحده السبيلَ الأسمى.

Word by Word

• आराधितः: worshipped, propitiated
• आराधितः: Karta/Predicate (predicate adjective; passive sense)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ√राध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘worshipped/propitiated’

• अनुदिवसम्: daily
• अनुदिवसम्: Kriya-viseshana (adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनुदिवसम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: day by day/daily)

• स-भूतैः: together with the beings/elements
• स-भूतैः: Sahakari-karana (accompaniment; instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (neuter, instrumental plural); समासः तत्पुरुषः (भूतैः सह = together with beings/elements)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Visheshana (qualifier of भूतैः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (त्रिलिङ्ग), तृतीया, बहुवचन (instrumental plural); संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम् (with five)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (object of मेने)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc singular)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Emphasis particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: only/indeed)

• परम्: supreme, highest
• परम्: Karma-pravacaniya complement (object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular); ‘श्रेष्ठम्’ (as predicate object-complement)

• मेने: considered, deemed
• मेने: Kriya (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (perfect, 3rd person singular)

• गोविन्द-अर्पित: dedicated to Govinda
• गोविन्द-अर्पित: Visheshana (qualifier of मानसः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्पित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘गोविन्दाय अर्पितः’ (offered/dedicated to Govinda)

• मानसः: the mind (one whose mind...)
• मानसः: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa norm: Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene ascetic with hands in añjali, heart offered to Govinda; the five elements appear as subtle deities (earth, water, fire, wind, sky) paying homage; yet the ascetic points inward to tapas as the supreme vow.

Characters & Entities

• Govinda (Viṣṇu)
• Pañca-bhūta (five elements)
• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When the mind is surrendered to the Divine, austerity becomes the highest instrument of realization and spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī-kṣetra is the overarching sacred geography of this chapter, framing the account as a Kāśī Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied prescription is steady daily worship (ārādhana) and disciplined tapas with a mind dedicated to Govinda.