Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

व्रतोपवासनियमैः परिक्षीणकलेवरः । मध्याह्ने निर्जने तत्र द्रक्ष्यस्येकं तपोधनम्

Transliteration

vratopavāsaniyamaiḥ parikṣīṇakalevaraḥ | madhyāhne nirjane tatra drakṣyasyekaṃ tapodhanam

Translation

Durch Gelübde, Fasten und strenge Observanzen am Leib verzehrt, wirst du zur Mittagszeit an jenem einsamen Ort einen einzigen Asketen erblicken—dessen wahrer Reichtum Tapas, die Askese, ist.

Word by Word

• व्रतोपवासनियमैः: by vows, fasting, and restraints
• व्रतोपवासनियमैः: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक) + नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः: व्रतं च उपवासश्च नियमाश्च (द्वन्द्व), तृतीया-हेतौ/साधने

• परिक्षीणकलेवरः: with a body worn away (emaciated)
• परिक्षीणकलेवरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-क्षी (धातु) + कलेवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) क्षी + क्त = क्षीण, उपसर्गः परि; समासः: परिक्षीणं कलेवरं यस्य (बहुव्रीह्यर्थेऽपि सम्भवः), प्रायः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-रूपेण प्रयोगः

• मध्याह्ने: at midday
• मध्याह्ने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्याह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• निर्जने: in a solitary place
• निर्जने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; स्थानविशेषण

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), देशवाचक

• द्रक्ष्यसि: you will see
• द्रक्ष्यसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future/लृट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; धातुः: दृश् (पश्यति)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तपोधनम्: an ascetic rich in austerity
• तपोधनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: तपसः धनम् (तपस्वी/महर्षिः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and Naimiṣāraṇya sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone ascetic in a quiet, sunlit midday grove/courtyard corner of Kāśī—emaciated from fasting, seated or standing in stillness; the seeker approaches with reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Tapodhana (ascetic)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas, vrata, and niyama refine the seeker and lead to darśana of realized beings in a holy field.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Kāśī-kṣetra narrative, describing a secluded spot within Kāśī where an ascetic is seen.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata (vows), upavāsa (fasting), and niyama (disciplines) as spiritual practices.