Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

तपोधन उवाच । वृद्धकालक्षितिपते जाने त्वां सुमहामते । इमामपि च जानेऽहं तव पत्नीं पतिव्रताम्

Transliteration

tapodhana uvāca | vṛddhakālakṣitipate jāne tvāṃ sumahāmate | imāmapi ca jāne'haṃ tava patnīṃ pativratām

Translation

Tapodhana sprach: „O König, der du seit langem die Last des Alters trägst, o höchst Weiser—ich kenne dich. Und ich kenne auch diese deine Gattin, eine pativratā, standhaft in ehelicher Treue.“

Word by Word

• तपोधन: Tapodhana (the ascetic)
• तपोधन: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास, पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; speaker designation

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; “said”

• वृद्धकालक्षितिपते: O aged king
• वृद्धकालक्षितिपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध + काल + क्षितिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (वृद्ध-काल-क्षितिपति), पुंलिङ्गे, संबोधन, एकवचन; “O king (lord of earth) in old age”

• जाने: I know
• जाने: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; “I know”

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन; “you”

• सुमहामते: O very wise one
• सुमहामते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + महा + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (सु-महा-मति), पुंलिङ्गे, संबोधन, एकवचन; “O very wise one”

• इमाम्: this (lady)
• इमाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; “this (woman)”

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (particle: “also/even”)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• जाने: I know
• जाने: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; “I know”

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; 1st person pronoun

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; “your”

• पत्नीम्: wife
• पत्नीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; “wife”

• पतिव्रताम्: chaste/devoted to her husband
• पतिव्रताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (पति-व्रता), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; “devoted to her husband”

Speaker

Tapodhana (ascetic; formerly the aged tapasvī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages / audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The rejuvenated ascetic speaks with composed certainty, addressing the king respectfully yet firmly, and acknowledging the king’s devoted wife standing nearby; the scene conveys moral dignity and recognition.

Characters & Entities

• Tapodhana (Ascetic)
• Kṣitipati (King)
• Pativratā (the King’s wife)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual vision recognizes inner dharma—wisdom in the king and fidelity in the pativratā—beyond outward appearances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī setting continues as the sacred stage where dharma, tapas, and recognition of virtue are illuminated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse affirms pativratā-dharma and the authority of a tapasvī’s insight.