Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

नापराध्नोम्यहं किंचिन्महोग्रतपसांनिधे । क्षंतव्यं मे क्षमाधार क्षमारूपास्तपस्विनः

Transliteration

nāparādhnomyahaṃ kiṃcinmahogratapasāṃnidhe | kṣaṃtavyaṃ me kṣamādhāra kṣamārūpāstapasvinaḥ

Translation

«ما ارتكبتُ ذنبًا قط، يا كنزَ التقشّف الشديد. فاعفُ عني، يا سندَ العفو؛ فإن الزهّاد هم صورةُ الحِلم والصبر.»

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अपराध्नोमि: I offend/commit a fault
• अपराध्नोमि: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अपराध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); अनिश्चितार्थक (anything)

• महा: great
• महा: Qualifier within compound
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (compound member), 'महान्' इत्यर्थे

• उग्र: fierce
• उग्र: Qualifier within compound
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (compound member)

• तपसाम्: of austerities
• तपसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• निधे: O treasure of great austerities
• निधे: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); 'महोग्र-तपसां-निधि' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (treasure of great fierce austerities)

• क्षन्तव्यम्: should be forgiven
• क्षन्तव्यम्: Kriya (Predicate, impersonal)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम् (धातु) → क्षन्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत् (Gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय-विशेषणम् (it should be forgiven)

• मे: for me / my
• मे: Sampradana (Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) / चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) एकवचन-रूपम्; अत्र 'मम/मे' = 'by you to me / my'—प्रायः 'मम (my)' अथवा 'मह्यम् (to me)' अर्थे

• क्षमाधार: O support of forgiveness
• क्षमाधार: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा (प्रातिपदिक) + आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); तत्पुरुषः—'क्षमायाः आधारः' (support of forgiveness)

• क्षमारूपाः: having forgiveness as their nature
• क्षमारूपाः: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षमा (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); तत्पुरुषः—'क्षमाया रूपम् येषाम्' (whose nature is forgiveness)

• तपस्विनः: ascetics
• तपस्विनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

Speaker

Śuci (apsaras) (direct speech within Skanda’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka-group (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śuci speaks with folded hands, eyes lowered; the sage is depicted as a ‘storehouse of fierce tapas’ yet invited to embody forgiveness—visual contrast between fiery ascetic aura and calm compassionate face.

Characters & Entities

• Śuci (apsaras)
• Vedaśiras
• Kṣamā (forbearance)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse elevates kṣamā (forgiveness) as a hallmark of true tapas: spiritual power is ideally joined with compassion and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; it is part of the Pañcanada origin account that builds the tīrtha’s sacred authority through dhārmic themes.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it presents an ethical prescription—cultivating forgiveness, especially for those established in austerity.