Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

तापसोदीरितमिति तद्रक्षः प्रीतिपूवर्कम् । निशम्य प्रांजलिः प्राह तं कृपालुं तपोधनम्

Transliteration

tāpasodīritamiti tadrakṣaḥ prītipūvarkam | niśamya prāṃjaliḥ prāha taṃ kṛpāluṃ tapodhanam

Translation

Als der Rākṣasa die Worte des Asketen vernahm, wurde er erfreut; mit gefalteten Händen verneigte er sich und sprach zu dem mitleidvollen Weisen, reich an Tapas.

Word by Word

• तापस: by the ascetic
• तापस: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular) — कर्तृवाच्ये करण/हेतु-भावः ('by the ascetic')

• उदीरितम्: uttered
• उदीरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-ईर् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular) — 'uttered/said'

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/इत्यर्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular) — 'that (speech/statement)'

• रक्षः: the rākṣasa
• रक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular) — 'the rākṣasa/demon'

• प्रीतिपूर्वकम्: joyfully
• प्रीतिपूर्वकम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial) — 'with affection/joyfully'

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Sambandha (पूर्वक्रिया/absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) — 'having heard'

• प्राञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• प्राञ्जलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular) — विशेषण (adjective) 'with joined palms' (standing with folded hands)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह् (अह्/आह् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृपालुम्: compassionate
• कृपालुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपालु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular) — विशेषण (adjective) qualifying 'तपोधनम्'

• तपोधनम्: the ascetic rich in austerity
• तपोधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('तपस्-धन' = 'whose wealth is austerity'); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, within Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A rākṣasa, previously menacing, now stands with folded hands, head bowed, addressing a serene, compassionate sage whose presence radiates calm authority.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasa
• Tapasvī (sage/ascetic)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even harsh beings soften through contact with dharma; reverence (añjali) begins inner transformation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative sits in Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s spiritual atmosphere, where dharma is awakened through saintly presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the implied discipline is respectful listening (śravaṇa) and humility before a sage.