Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । तपसो न परं किंचित्तपो हि महतां धनम् । तपसा प्राप्यते सर्वं तपोयोग्योऽसि पुत्रक

Transliteration

brahmovāca | tapaso na paraṃ kiṃcittapo hi mahatāṃ dhanam | tapasā prāpyate sarvaṃ tapoyogyo'si putraka

Translation

Brahmā sprach: Nichts ist höher als Tapas (Askese); wahrlich, Tapas ist der Reichtum der Großen. Durch Tapas wird alles erlangt. O lieber Sohn, du bist Tapas würdig.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Speaker/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• परम्: higher/supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (to किंचित्)

• किंचित्: anything (something)
• किंचित्: Karma/Predicate nominal
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचित् (सर्वनाम/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• महताम्: of the great (persons)
• महताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन

• धनम्: wealth/treasure
• धनम्: Predicate nominal
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate noun)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• प्राप्यते: is attained
• प्राप्यते: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• तपः-योग्यः: fit for austerity
• तपः-योग्यः: Predicate adjective
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + योग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तपसः योग्यः)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पुत्रक: dear son
• पुत्रक: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vajrāṅga (addressed as ‘putraka’/son)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, serene and four-faced, instructs a young aspirant (Vajrāṅga) on the supremacy of tapas; a quiet hermitage atmosphere with sacrificial fire and palm-leaf manuscripts.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Vajrāṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas is presented as the supreme spiritual capital—greater than kingship—through which all worthy attainments become possible.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse functions as a universal Purāṇic doctrine praising tapas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas itself is the prescription—undertaking disciplined austerity as a means to spiritual and worldly attainment.