Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

ये ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मरतास्तपोनिष्ठास्तपोधनाः । मासोपवासषण्मासचातुर्मास्यादि सद्व्रताः

Transliteration

ye brāhmaṇā brahmaratāstaponiṣṭhāstapodhanāḥ | māsopavāsaṣaṇmāsacāturmāsyādi sadvratāḥ

Translation

Jene Brāhmaṇas, die sich an Brahman erfreuen, in Askese gefestigt und reich an tapas—die edle Gelübde halten, wie einmonatige Fasten, sechsmonatige Disziplinen, das Cāturmāsya und dergleichen—

Word by Word

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मरताः: devoted to Brahman/Veda
• ब्रह्मरताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मरत (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्म + रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण (devoted to Brahman/Veda)

• तपोनिष्ठाः: steadfast in austerity
• तपोनिष्ठाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपोनिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; तपस् + निष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तपोधनाः: whose wealth is austerity
• तपोधनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपोधन (प्रातिपदिक; तपस् + धन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• मासोपवास: month-long fast
• मासोपवास: Samasa-member
• Type: Noun
• Root: मासोपवास (प्रातिपदिक; मास + उपवास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in larger compound)

• षण्मास: six-month (observance)
• षण्मास: Samasa-member
• Type: Noun
• Root: षण्मास (प्रातिपदिक; षट् + मास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• चातुर्मास्य: four-month observance (cāturmāsya)
• चातुर्मास्य: Samasa-member
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्मास्य (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + मास्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• आदि: etc.
• आदि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (etc., and so on)

• सद्व्रताः: of good vows, virtuous observers
• सद्व्रताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सद्व्रत (प्रातिपदिक; सत् + व्रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Brahmā (context continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rows of ascetics and brāhmaṇas in Kāśī performing austerities—some fasting, some in japa, some studying—under banyan shade near the Gaṅgā, with calm determination.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Cāturmāsya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity and disciplined vows are honored as spiritual wealth, especially in the purāṇic vision of sanctified Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied setting where such vow-keepers and ascetics are especially celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upavāsa (fasting) and long-duration vratas are referenced, including Cāturmāsya observances.