Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

पुनः परोपकरणात्तत्तपो द्विगुणीकृतम् । तेन पुण्येन स मया पुनः प्रोक्तो वरं वृणु

Transliteration

punaḥ paropakaraṇāttattapo dviguṇīkṛtam | tena puṇyena sa mayā punaḥ prokto varaṃ vṛṇu

Translation

Wiederum: Durch jene Tat zum Wohle anderer wurde seine Askese verdoppelt. Und kraft dieses Verdienstes sprach ich erneut zu ihm: „Wähle eine Gabe.“

Word by Word

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-अव्यय; adverb ‘again’

• परोपकरणात्: from/through helping others
• परोपकरणात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (परेषाम् उपकरणम् = service to others); ablative singular (cause/source)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; demonstrative adjective qualifying ‘तपः’

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular

• द्विगुणीकृतम्: made double
• द्विगुणीकृतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (द्विगुणं कृतम्); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP)

• तेन: by that/with that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular

• पुण्येन: by (that) merit
• पुण्येन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular

• सः: he
• सः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-अव्यय; adverb ‘again’

• प्रोक्तः: was addressed/told
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively (passive sense)

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular

• वृणु: choose
• वृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; imperative 2nd sg

Speaker

Caṇḍikā (Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: the tapasvī petitioner

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic depiction of merit doubling: the ascetic’s aura brightens; a subtle doubling motif (twofold radiance, mirrored lamps) while Śiva again invites him to choose a boon, indicating escalating grace.

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍikā (Devī)
• Vasiṣṭha (implied)
• Puṇya
• Tapas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving others magnifies tapas and generates puṇya, making divine grace more immediate and abundant.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra in Kāśī, presented as a place where altruistic merit quickly ripens into divine boon.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; the verse elevates paropakāra (helping others) as a dharmic act that multiplies spiritual merit.