Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मचर्यं तपोमूलं यतः संकीर्तितं द्विजैः । तस्याभावात्परिक्लेशः केवलं न फलं व्रते

Transliteration

brahmacaryaṃ tapomūlaṃ yataḥ saṃkīrtitaṃ dvijaiḥ | tasyābhāvātparikleśaḥ kevalaṃ na phalaṃ vrate

Translation

Denn Brahmacarya wird von den gelehrten Dvijas als die eigentliche Wurzel der Askese gepriesen. Ohne sie bringt ein Gelübde nur Mühsal, nicht die wahre Frucht.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: celibacy
• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अत्र प्रथमा (वाक्यविषयः); English: neuter nominative singular

• तपोमूलम्: the root of austerity
• तपोमूलम्: Pradhana (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तपसः मूलम्); English: nominative singular (predicate noun)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; हेत्वर्थे/यस्मात्-अर्थे; English: indeclinable ‘because/from which’

• संकीर्तितम्: has been proclaimed
• संकीर्तितम्: Kriya (Verbal predicate/क्रियाविशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + कीर्त् (धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययः), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘has been proclaimed’; English: past passive participle, neuter nominative singular

• द्विजैः: by the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive; करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; English: instrumental plural

• तस्य: of that (celibacy)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; English: genitive singular

• अभावात्: from (its) absence
• अभावात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source; हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; English: ablative singular (from absence)

• परिक्लेशः: hardship; distress
• परिक्लेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिक्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; English: nominative singular

• केवलम्: only; merely
• केवलम्: Visheshana (Adverbial qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; विशेषणार्थे क्रियाविशेषणम्; English: adverb ‘only/merely’

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्; English: negation particle

• फलम्: fruit; result
• फलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; English: nominative singular

• व्रते: in the vow/observance
• व्रते: Adhikarana (Location/Context; अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; English: locative singular

Speaker

Devas (continuing deliberation; general dharma maxim)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment: the narrator underscores that brahmacarya is the very root of austerity; the image can show a serene sage seated in meditation with a symbolic ‘root’ supporting a tree labeled ‘tapas’, while temptations hover at the periphery.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmacarya
• Dwijas (learned brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discipline of senses (brahmacarya) is foundational; otherwise austerities become empty exertion without spiritual fruition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching arises within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra narrative, highlighting the standards of effective tapas at a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implicit prescription: maintain brahmacarya as an essential condition for successful vrata and tapas.