Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

तपसा तोष्य गोविंदमभिलाषविवर्जिताः । तपोलोकमिमं प्राप्य वसंति विजितेंद्रियाः

Transliteration

tapasā toṣya goviṃdamabhilāṣavivarjitāḥ | tapolokamimaṃ prāpya vasaṃti vijiteṃdriyāḥ

Translation

Diejenigen, die frei von eigennützigem Verlangen Govinda durch Askese erfreuen und ihre Sinne bezwungen haben — nachdem sie dieses Tapoloka erlangt haben, wohnen sie dort.

Word by Word

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular; means/agency

• तोष्य: having pleased
• तोष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘तोष्य’ = ‘तोषयित्वा/तुष्ट्वा’ — having pleased

• गोविन्दम्: Govinda
• गोविन्दम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• अभिलाष-विवर्जिताः: devoid of desires
• अभिलाष-विवर्जिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिलाष (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (कृदन्त, वि+वृज्/वर्ज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/निर्धारणार्थ: ‘अभिलाषेन विवर्जिताः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन — Nominative plural; qualifying implied subject (तपस्विनः/यतयः)

• तपो-लोकम्: the world of austerity
• तपो-लोकम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: तपसः लोकः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular; demonstrative qualifying ‘तपोलोकम्’

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive) — having attained

• वसन्ति: they dwell
• वसन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — 3rd person plural

• विजित-इन्द्रियाः: having conquered the senses
• विजित-इन्द्रियाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजित (कृदन्त, वि+जि धातु, क्त) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/उपपदभाव: ‘विजितानि इन्द्रियाणि येषाम्’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural; qualifying subject

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene ascetic assembly in a luminous realm (Tapoloka), sages with subdued senses offering inner austerity to Govinda; Govinda’s presence suggested as a radiant, compassionate focus rather than a dramatic theophany.

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Tapoloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desireless austerity that pleases the Divine, coupled with sense-control, leads to exalted spiritual attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s sacred geography; this verse highlights Tapoloka (a transcendent realm) rather than a single terrestrial tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) practiced without personal desire and with mastery over the senses.